Roberta's Blood Trail: A BTVS & Black Lagoon tale
by Dr Gonzo
Summary: Roberta's rampage of vengeance will have profound consequences for Xander and Faith when they find themselves and their allies on opposing sides in her war.- nominated for a Crossing Over Award
1. Chapter 1

Roanapur Knights: Dance of Death - A BL & BTVS x-over

Author: B.H. Ramsay

Disclaimer: Characters appearing here belong to Mutant Enemy & Funimation Entertainment

Rating: Adult

Pairings(s) various

Spoilers: many, mainly for El Baile de la Muerte

Dedicated to: The Shrine of Heroes...may she endure forever. Greydon Creed & Amigodude for the awesome beta reading assist. likewise the gang over at the Black Lagoon Forums who are just spiffy

Summary: A Brutal Act sets off a cycle of violence and retribution that will swallow the lives of many, including the Slayer Army and Two of the Scoobies that find themselves on opposing sides as The Unstoppable Chambermaid goes on the rampage.

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Nights in Venezuela are always hot so the sheets of steam billowing out of the shower were not entirely out of place.

Yet it was not sweat and grime that the woman under the spray was trying to wash away. Indeed, the water's heat cascading over her body was at almost scalding temperature. Anyone else would be howling in pain. She barely acknowledged the hot water on her skin. Her mind had long ago learned to compartmentalize pain, filing it away in distant parts of her mind.

The woman's name as far as the world was concerned was Roberta. A maid in the Lovelace household and loyal guardian of the scion to the Lovelace fortune, Garcia Fernando Lovelace. There had been another name a long time ago. Another name in another life, a life she had been saved from by the noble and kind hearted Diego Lovelace, Garcia's father.

Maybe that had been the problem, Lovelace was too noble, too kind hearted. Men like that do not survive long in such a world as this. A world that allowed base creatures like her and those she now hated with a burning passion to exist. Roberta included herself because she was at fault. She had been too happy, too proud of her new life -- her peaceful life. Pride was a sin and there was a reason it was among the seven deadly sins. Was it not pride that had led the greatest of angels to finally fall and take a third of heaven with him in his plunge into hell?

To be sure Diego had carved his own tombstone. giving money and support openly to men who rallied the people to finally throw off the corruption that had enslaved them for so long. Diego had called for change. An end to governments that openly traded with Cartel thugs. An end to a system that allowed both the Cartels and the Government to be used by foreigners, especially the Puppet Masters in Washington.

Garcia had childishly asked why his father had to die. What the men responsible could have been thinking. Roberta had tried, as she always did to shield him from the truth of things. But Roberta knew only too well, for men who killed and maimed in the name of ideals and principles, no reason was ever needed. Only an order given and a task performed.

Even now, days later Roberta could smell the too familiar scent as the the flames had climbed high to the sky. The bomb blast had been sudden and precise. While others had screamed or fled in horror, a part of Roberta she had worked to suppress came alive in the chaos. Her eyes instantly caught sight of her prey. A girl hanging around the stage. Their eyes had met only briefly but there was fear and something more familiar. Roberta had sprinted after her even as the police cordoned off the plaza and firemen moved into douse the flames.

The girl had started sprinting, moving quickly but the crowd had mutated into a fearful mob, screaming, crying and wailing. A seething mass of fear and panic that formed a blockade as effective as any fence. To shove against that blockade was to call attention to oneself and that was the last thing that anyone wanted.

Roberta had long ago learned to move in even the thickest crowd. She slipped unerringly through the mass of bodies, tracking her prey. Both women eventually broke free of the crowd and started sprinting. Roberta knew how fast she was. In another world, another life she might have been a champion runner yet she found herself barely keeping up with the young woman fleeing in front of her as both crossed the plaza and darted down a side street. The girl was fleeing toward a high cul-de-sac formed by three high walls. Two of them bordered large haciendas, and in the fashion of many houses in the area, broken cerveza bottles had been strewn across the top of the walls to form a barrier against the poor and simple.

The girl did not slow as she sprinted down the garbage can strewn alleyway. As she approached the wall, she increased her speed and jumped atop one of the cans using it to give her the height and momentum she needed to vault over the wall. Roberta had done such things herself and was surprised to find another whose physical abilities matched her own. Roberta made her own athletic leap over the wall, scooping a bottle as she passed over the barrier. As she touched down, she hurled the bottle with force at the girl's head. The bottle whirled through the air and smacked into the girl's palm as the girl turned on a dime and caught the bottle in her fist, crushing it as she did so.

Roberta might have been surprised at this, had she intended the bottle to stop the girl. Instead the purpose of the missile had been to distract the girl, make her look away for a second from her forward progress. The girl screamed as she pitched over a garbage can left in the sun with a loud squawk. She was climbing quickly back to her feet even as Roberta increased her speed and managed to tackle the girl, throwing her to the ground.

"Please I know nothing. I was just there I was scared." The Mystery Girl pleaded too loudly and too quickly.

"Liar," Roberta hissed "I can smell the lie on you. Now tell me who ordered Lovelace killed."

Instead of answering, The Girl had directed a kick at Roberta's head. The kick was clumsy and easily caught but there was a power to it. Roberta barely managed to halt the blow and she was unprepared for the power behind the kick which managed to shove her backward. The woman sprang off the ground and dove at Roberta. The Maid managed to block the power behind the first blow that would have taken her head off had it connected but not the follow up punch that drove the air from her lungs. "Contact with subject, proceeding with neutralization." The Girl whispered with her hand at her ear.

Roberta came off the ground and launched a blistering attack. By all rights, the Girl should have been a smear on the ground in seconds but she was matching Roberta blow for blow and hers were so strong and they seemed to be getting stronger. Roberta's strongest advantage was being able to outlast and overpower any opponent but against this girl, that ability deserted her here. The Girl was stronger then her, faster then her and soon Roberta found herself fighting defensively and then finally, inevitably, a battle just to stay alive. Trying to avoid powerful hammer blow after powerful hammer blow that rained down on her body, battering her fiercely.

"What's wrong with you?" The Mystery Girl screamed, "I saw you, You are the strong one, the dangerous one You're supposed to be the one who can kill me."

"Stop it!" The command was issued in perfect Spanish.

"Stay out of this it's none of your business." The woman called out dismissive before looking up and gasping in shocked recognition.

"I don't know what happened and I don't care. You are better then this, you may not know it but you are." The voice of the gringo was pleading and yet forceful all at once.

"Who are you, what are you doing here?" The Girl asked fearfully "You are ... Xander. I have dreamed you before."

"Slayer Dreams, those visions connect you with the history of a hundred girls who fight and died to protect the world. Your history, your heritage, if you want to be a part of it."

"You're lying, they said you would kill me, use me like men always use and hurt..."

"I can only imagine what you were told. Come with me, leave her alone and come with me. I can answer all the questions that have kept you awake at night. you will know who you are at last. What you were meant to be."

Suddenly the woman's eyes narrowed "Target not neutralized, civilian witness ..." she whispered. The response was final and quick in coming. "understood." the woman hissed with an almost lethal glee.

"No Witnesses huh?" the one-eyed gringo sighed

"No Witnesses," The Girl smiled wolfishly at him

Roberta used her distraction to launch a palm strike to the woman's mid section. the spot was one of many soft targets on a normal person and by rights the woman should have dropped to the ground in a curled ball of pain and agony. Instead the blow made the woman grunt painfully. She snarled and backhanded Roberta sending the Maid crashing into several more cans. Roberta groaned in pain, yet she had some cause for sadistic joy as the girl clutched her side. The Mystery Girl was strong but not as unaffected by Roberta's attack as she had seemed.

The girl turned to the man and stalked toward him. He held his ground though unmoving.

"If you kill me you'll never know why you are driven to go out at night and hunt the demons you see in those dreams of yours."

"I think I'll choke you, I saw my hands around your throat once. I have always wondered if I would ever have the chance."

"There is so much you don't know about yourself, so much I could teach you." The gringo said softly even as he reached into his pocket.

The Girl rushed him and the gringo dodged to the side, pulling something from his pocket. The girl came at him and then stopped, spasming. He was wielding a taser and had hit her with a charge.

"I'm betting you're shocked at this, no pun intended " The gringo said "What they didn't tell you, what they didn't know is that Slayers are just as human as the rest of us, just way stronger, you have soft spots on your body and you drop just like anyone else when you get electrocuted. Of course the level of charge that effects Slayers is high, really high, but it does the trick anyway."

The woman dropped to the ground rolled backward. her hand went to the ear-piece. "I can complete the mission, I just need..." She was cut off by whoever was on the other end of the line. She rose and fled with the One-Eyed Gringo watching her leave.

"Great Work Harris, bang-up job. you lost the girl and worse you let her ..." The Gringo looked at Roberta. "I'm sorry about your Master lady, I really am. If I had been faster, or smarter...anyway, you don't need to hear this. Just know that I will make this right somehow. I promise."

With that he had vanished. No doubt he thought himself unremarkable and quickly forgotten but Roberta had spent a lifetime leaning how to track unremarkable men. Those who could be surprisingly capable.

As Roberta stood under the scalding spray of water she knew a few things she did not before. the Assassination of Diego Lovelace was no act of untrained unskilled revolutionaries as the police had stated. There had been purpose and skill behind the act. Such skill would, by itself, aid in tracking the individuals involved.

She knew that The Girl was with them. She and another girl had arrived by plane in Caracas a month previously. They had been met at the airport by a man who was one of several who had been working in the plaza the day of the bomb blast.

She had also learned who Xander Harris was. He had arrived a week or so before the assassination. He had spent the better part of that week asking questions and showing pictures of various people including The Girl, around town. She also had a receipt from a shop on the far side of the plaza. The slip of paper had fallen from The Gringo's pocket during the fight. It was from a shop known for selling new age accessories to the foolish. Rumors still persisted however that the old lady within had access to the real thing. Roberta would know the truth of that soon enough.

Diego Lovelace was more then a master. He had saved her life. Saved her from a darkness that she now found swirling around her, calling to her, whispering promises of retribution. Before there had been the meek maid Roberta, there had been another, a soldier named Rosarita Cisnaros, the Bloodhound of Florencia they had called her.

She had done things as the Bloodhound that had stained her hands beyond the ability of any shower to wash clean and yet in the adoring eyes of the Garcia and the steady smile of Diego she had felt the blood fading away and her hands coming clean.

Soon she began to foolishly dream that the perfect world, the perfect life she lived now might go on and continue. That she might forget forever that there had ever been a time, a place, a world, that allowed such a base thing as Rosarita Cisnaros to live and breath. She had believed that God would forgive her for her past allow her some small measure of happiness. That dream was gone now but the howling beast The Bloodhound was still there. Its jaws slavered at the thought of the hunt to come.

These men who dealt in Death would learn what a true artisan of death could do.

This bitch who called herself Slayer would learn that calling yourself a killer did not make you one and it certainly did not make you skilled at bringing death to others.

As for this Harris, this Xander, she would learn what part he had played in the death of her master and if he and those behind him had been part of it, then heaven itself would not provide a safe refuge for this Xander from her wrath and vengeance.

She finally stepped from the shower. it was useless anyway the many sins she had committed still clung to her and the latest in the long line was the lie she had told to her beloved young master. He was worried for her, worried because he knew what she was capable of and what was stirring in her heart. He had pleaded with her to let go of the rage, the desire for vengeance. Roberta had sighed and told him what he wanted to hear, that his Roberta would always be with him and it was true. Roberta was in this house and her life was here.

Rosarita on the other hand, she had things to do and She had no place in the Lovelace mansion. She dressed quietly and then slipped out of the house. She took only one other thing from the house. An old black powder rifle that was part of the proud legacy of the Lovelace family. Rosarita had already decided that the men responsible for Diego's death would die by her hand with this weapon but as for The Girl, If what she had heard this Harris say was true, Rosarita was hunting something that was more then human. That was fine. If it could feel pain, then it could bleed and die.

Garcia would have protection including the young maid Fabiola. The girl was young and inexperienced but she was fiercely protective of Garcia as protective as Roberta herself was. Garcia would be fine while Roberta dealt with this matter.

She slipped out of the house and into the night. her first stop would be a bar on the outskirts of the poor section. Gentle inquires had placed one of the men she sought at this place and she was confident she would find him. Later when she had scouted the location, she would go to the new age shop and find out from the woman who ran the place what this Xander Harris had been doing in her shop.

After that, the hunt would begin in earnest.

Deep in the night A blood curdling Howl sounded and every creature that could sense danger hunched down and prayed that the danger would pass quickly but Gods can be capricious and sometime they do not answer the prayers of the men and beasts who plead with them.

The Bloodhound was on the hunt.


	2. Chapter 2

Days can be hot and steaming in Roanapur, a small city state on an island in the South China Sea. The woman under the shower wasn't trying to get clean or purge her many demons however. In truth, Faith Lehane had never felt so clean in her life.

Faith had found that for her, Roanapur was a perfect fit. A place where nobody cared about her past other then her slight Bostonian accent which was what had given her the local nickname of Southie. Nobody cared about her wild and partying ways because here in Roanapur even her wildest nights would be considered at best, a quiet night. Nobody cared that she had killed and maimed to survive and occasionally to amuse herself because such things were the norm in this city where vice was virtue and questions of legality were more often then not settled with blade or bullet.

There was some irony in that she owed her new found happiness to a most unlikely source. Xander Harris had brought her here as backup on a crusade he was on to smash a Human Trafficking network that specialized in selling the services and abilities of Slayers. Women with supernatural strength and speed activated by Xander's friends when they had wanted to create an army capable of beating back an apocalypse to end all apocalypses. Where once there had been only one Slayer there was now thousands and not all of them were happy with their new abilities and not all had been lucky enough to be living ideal lives when they had been cursed or blessed with the abilities of a Slayer.

Faith had helped destroy the Slaving Operation and so enjoyed a great deal of trust and respect from those who had been imprisoned there. Xander also had their respect, but rather then hang around, he had departed shortly after the battle to continue the search for the hundred or so girls who had been sold before the camp could be discovered.

Faith finished dressing and predictably, when she got round to checking her messages there was a few she had missed while screwing around in that seductive beast of a shower. One from Rebecca "Revy Two-Hands" telling her to get her ass over to the Yellowflag.

Revy was an employee of Lagoon Couriers. Officially it was a shipping company that operated out of Roanapur aboard a PT Boat named the Black Lagoon. Unofficially, the crew of the Lagoon were mercenaries who would take any job as long as the checks cleared. Anything, Anywhere, for any price was the unofficial company motto. Xander had secured their help in crushing the slaver's camp. Help they had given because Xander was an old and valuable ally from back-in-the-day.

Faith quickly headed out the door and jogged over to the bar. It couldn't be for a friendly drink since Revy did her buddy drinking at the Rip-Off Church with the armed and dangerous nun -- Eda, Xander's on-again-off-again girlfriend. That meant it was work. Faith wondered what the problem was.

She was even more curious when she arrived at the infamously dangerous watering hole to find the building had been blown to hell and gone. Bodies lined the street and the building had several holes blasted in various parts of the place.

Faith called up the crew of the Lagoon to find that the gang had moved to a downtown hotel. Faith headed over there to find the entire crew gathered in a particularly nice suite. The whole gang was there including their Captain -- Dutch, technical wizard -- Benny, and office manager and occasional moral compass of the group, Rock -- sitting comfortably. Revy was not sitting, she was pacing restlessly. Faith noticed that the infamous gun-wielding enforcer of the group was not smoking her ever-present American Spirit cigarettes and The Slayer ruefully suspected her agitated state might be related to their absence.

Sitting with the Lagoon crew was one of the city's several Syndicate bosses who collectively controlled the flow of crime and corruption. Chang was the Chinese Triad boss and, as was his custom, was in his traditional shades and trench coat combo looking like someone who had seen too many John Woo flicks or that he had stepped straight out of one.

Sitting with Rock were two kids. At least the maid looked young. the teenager with her was obviously young but carried himself like a adult in every sense of the word. The maid introduced herself as Fabiola Iglasias maid in attendance for Garcia Lovelace. Faith blinked, then looked at Rock.

"Is she serious?"

Rock sighed and nodded . "You'll get used to it."

"What the hell happened to the Yellowflag? Its like Beirut except not as peaceful. Did Revy have a party and not invite me?"

"The mini-maid happened." Revy snapped as she pointed at the petite maid, "Turns out she as armed and dangerous as Glasses Bitch."

Faith looked incredulously at the small buxom girl who stood about a foot shorter then Faith.

The young woman had the good grace to look embarrassed as she protested "I did not ask for the filthy ruffians who frequent that pest-hole to accost me and I was certainly not the one who invited the Colombian cartel to join in the conflict. I would also prefer that you not refer to Head Housemaid Roberta as -- That Glasses Bitch, it is most disrespectful."

"Hey, Southie," Revy snapped, ignoring the young girl, "We're kind of on the clock here so pay attention serious shit is going down and it looks like Dumb-ass Number Two stepped right into it." Since Rock was standing right next to Revy, her "Dumb-ass" was no doubt directed at Xander who she liked, but held in some slight contempt owing to his infamous tendency toward rushing in were Gods might fear to tread.

"Ah, you miss him, I'll have to let him know next time we talk."

"Well give him a message for me," Revy growled in response flipping her the finger, "And here's one for you too ya skanky bitch." she snapped off another finger at Faith .

"Actually we really would appreciate knowing where Xander is, if you know."Rock asked

"Xander is on the hunt last I heard, He was following a lead to New York."

"What kind of lead," Dutch asked inquiringly

"According to the Slaver's files, two girls were purchased and found their way to New York. Xander figured they'd be easy enough to find so he took off. A day or so later, he e-mails me and tells me the girls aren't in New York but that he knows where they might have ended up. He asked me to keep it on the down-low."

The fair haired Lovelace radiated his discomfort but asked quietly, "And this Xander, he was following these girls. Why?"

"That's who Xander is, ever since he found out about this case he's had this weird thing about solving it and doing the lions share of the leg work on his own."

"And what becomes of these Girls after they are found and --rescued." The mini-Maid asked

"That depends, I'll assume you know what Slayers are kid, if they want to join up with us so much the better. We train them and we get them helping us fighting the good fight. If the girls want to be left alone. We offer to help train them anyway so that they can have a sort of normal life."

"And you will forgive this next question but you are American. Wouldn't you have abundant resources and help if you had the aid of the American Government."

"Yeah we would but they would also want to use the girls and we are trying to stop that. You have to understand, for centuries there was only one Slayer and she was used up by the Council of Watchers until she died and the next one was called. Xander is one of a bunch of people trying to reverse hundreds of years of bad road and sometimes things don't go smoothly. What's this about anyway?"

Dutch ignored her and turned to Garcia,"You see Garcia -- she had no idea what we were going to ask and no time to come up with a cover story I'm telling you Xander Harris is many things but an assassin isn't one of them."

Faith gave a harsh bark of laughter, "Xander, an assassin? You have to be kidding me." The tomb like silence in the room confirmed that the subject was indeed quite serious.

Dutch started explaining for Faith's benefit, "Garcia's father threw his lot in with left wingers and there was a bombing. Daddy Lovelace died. On the day it happened Roberta, the family maid, was assaulted by a woman who was both stronger and faster then her and Roberta is about as strong and fast as a human being can be on their own, trust me on this."

Faith could see where this was going, "That doesn't mean she was a Slayer there are a lot of reasons for someone to have power."

Garcia explained, "During their battle the woman was attacked from behind by a man who spoke to her. She called him by name and claimed they knew each other. He apparently also knew how to subdue her, something Roberta admitted she was failing to do owing the the strength and speed of her opponent. Eventually she fled and this Xander departed as well, I don't know if it was in pursuit or if they were in league and the operation did not go as planned, but the results were the same. My Father was gone and this man was in the area."

Faith was starting to lose her temper,"So what, I'm sure there were a lot of people there. Why are you so hot to hang this frame on Xander's head."

Garcia held up his hands to forestall Faith's anger. "I have spoken with Mr. Rock and he vouches for Mr. Harris. I trust Mr Okajima, so if he says your friend is noble then I wish to believe him. Roberta on the other hand, is an entirely different matter."

Faith sneered "What, your maid gets beaten up in the street Xander helps out and instead of thanking him you want to call him a murderer."

"Pull it back a notch Southie before you go off you might want to get on the same page as the rest of us. Hey Young Master, does that Laptop you're carting around have net access?" Garcia nodded. Revy tapped away at the keys for a second then pointed at the screen. "Check it out Southie."

Revy had googled someone or something called the Bloodhound of Florencia. there were images and news stories that tracked hundreds of terrorist acts across the globe. "Roberta ain't just some feather weight in a funny outfit, she used to be one bad ass motherfucker. When Dutch tells you that she was attacked by someone superhuman we aren't fucking with you. I think you'd have to be a Slayer to take this bitch down and trust me, I would know."

Faith looked at story after story and image after image before turning to the young Lovelace with an amazed look on her face. "Are you saying the woman who can do this lives with you as a maid?" She asked incredulously, "Have you any idea how completely fucked up that is?" Garcia winced as if Faith's words had hurt him.

Rock spoke up to get the conversation back on track. "According to Garcia the government blamed Right wing extremists for the bombing which made sense and tied everything up in a neat package. Roberta didn't buy it and started her own investigation. Using a photograph and some anecdotal evidence she tracked down several of the men responsible and ...well lets just say that they were persuaded to talk about what they knew."

Revy sneered at him, "Lets call it what it was, Glasses Bitch worked them over but good "

"You mean this Roberta beat the information out of these guys?" Faith asked

Revy laughed cruelly "If by beat-up you mean ruthlessly torture and kill, then yeah she beat them up."

Benny sighed, "You're starting to see why we are concerned about Xander's whereabouts and involvement."

"OK fine I see being a little suspicious, but him being on the same street seems more coincidental then anything else." Faith supplied defensively

Garcia slid a photo across the table for Faith to look at. The picture was of several men sitting around a table most were Spanish but Faith could see at least one was American and they all had suspicious looking bulges in their jackets.

"The men in this photo were apparently involved in one way or another." Garcia explained, "One of the men was a Jose Lucentes. Your friend spent the week before my father died asking after this man and showing his picture."

"I'm guessing this is about to get very bad."

"They found the dude in the river with his legs hacked up real bad." Revy supplied, "I'm betting he told her everything she wanted to know before the end."

***_  
Jose tried to claw his way out of the water. the pain in his legs was excruciating but every time he seemed to be making progress Roberta would slap his hands with the flat of the blade on the machete she gripped in her fist._

_"I swear I told you everything I know." He screamed_

_"You assured me that you had nothing to tell me before we began our conversation. You will forgive me but I am not entirely convinced of your truthfulness." The Maid said with cold politeness._

_"You're going to kill me anyway, You twisted Bitch. Just get on with it."_

_Roberta smiled indulgently, "There are many ways to die Major. Some are considerably more painful then what you are feeling right now. If you don't want to find out just how much more painful, my suggestion to you is that you answer my questions. Now, you are an intelligence officer, a strange gringo arrives in the city and begins showing your picture around town and you're going to tell me that you didn't dig up every piece of information available on him within a day."_

_Lucentes nodded desperately, "He's a Watcher. They are some kind of devil hunting group."_

_Roberta knelt, jabbing the blade of the machete into Jose's leg as she did so causing the man to cry out. "Tell me everything you learned about this man and those he represents "_

***

"What else?" Faith asked nervously as she looked at the police photos taken of Lucentes postmortem.

"Roberta before she disappeared was asking about magic shops in the area. There was one such shop across the plaza from where my father died and your friend was there that day."

"Please tell me that this shop keeper had the good sense to tell Roberta everything before it got bad."

***  
_  
The tingle of the bell at the door announced that the old woman had a final customer. she looked up and smiled at the maid in front of her. No doubt the woman was looking to buy a love potion to make her master fall madly in love with her. She screwed on a shopkeeper smile. "You are most fortunate I was about to close my dear what can we get for you this evening?"_

_"I was hoping to find someone who was recently here. He purchased several items. You might recall the person as it was the day Diego Lovelace was killed"_

_"A sorrowful tragedy to be sure senorita but Unfortunately I can't help you. I was at the back of the shop when the blast happened I saw nothing that would be helpful."_

_"Indeed and the stranger? What of him what did he purchase?"_

_"To be honest I can not recall." The woman replied evasively_

_The maid reached into a pocket and pulled a crumpled receipt from its depths flattening it out The Maid laid the paper on the counter between them."Perhaps this will aid your powers of recall. according to this he paid in American dollars I imagine not many buyers in the course of a day can afford to drop two hundred American for -- according to this, herbs."_

_"Ah that one, I'm ashamed to admit Senorita but I marked up the items I sold him they are not worth that much. he thought he was buying Spanish fly you know how men are. They would buy chicken crap and think it a good deal if they thought it would improve their ...abilities."_

_The Maid looked at her, really looked at her and then turned and marched to the door. Once there she turned the bolt causing the door to lock. When she turned back, there was a cold look in her blue eyes. "I have a great experience in asking questions Senorita I can tell when someone is being honest. It comes in handy."_

_The old woman was nervous now. She started moving away from the counter but The Maid moved quickly, catching hold of the shopkeeper's wrist and slamming her hand down on the counter, spreading the fingers wide on its surface._

_"I know this Xander was in your shop the day Master Diego was killed I know he bought something of value from you and now I know you may have seen him leave. Perhaps he even told you what he was doing here in Caracas and who he was looking for." The Maid reached out and picked up a heavy rock , a geode, red crystals shimmering across its surface with sinister intent. "You will share this information with me Senorita. I urge you to recall that information for me. I assure you Senorita it would be to your benefit if you did not disappoint me." _The Maid then brought the Geode crashing down on the Shopkeeper's hand with a bone shattering crunch.

***

"She survived," Garcia reported, "Although she had two fingers and a thumb broken."

Faith who had some experience with interrogation mused thoughtfully, "I can see losing one finger or a thumb but why hold out. What was she protecting?"

"According to her she was asked about your friend by someone else. A larger man. The description she gave matched one of the men sitting next to Lucentes in the picture I showed you. She was reluctant to disclose that she had sold your friend's whereabouts to this man for a large sum of cash."

"Why do I get the impression it was cash and the threat of violence." Faith snapped, "Did this guy she sold Xander to, ever find him?"

"Witness reports say that the man showed up at your friend's hotel and that both he and your friend disappeared shortly afterward. Your friend never checked out though his things were packed and gone."

"That doesn't sound good. He must of taken Xander somewhere for a little question and answer session."

"If he did," Garcia answered, "It was before he was found by persons unknown that dealt harshly with him. his body was found in a burned out house outside the city."

***  
_  
"What kind of sick bastard are you?" The Soldier punched Xander as he was tied to a chair. "You must be really stupid if you thought you could get away with killing Lucentes."_

_"I didn't kill anyone. I was looking for information and Lucentes was a lead."_

_"You must think I'm an idiot. You were showing the man's picture around and then he turns up dead. It's like you were asking to be found. Well I got you now and you are going to tell me who you really work for."_

_"Well you better make it quick asshole -- You're going to have company soon. If you found me then it means that whoever really killed Lucentes can track me to my hotel and it won't take them long to find out where you went after you kidnapped me."_

_"What are the chances of that. This place is so out of the way no one will find you . which is good, you can scream as much as you want and no one will hear."_

_"That will be very useful. thank you" Said a new voice and Xander looked up to see The Maid from the marketplace standing in the doorway._

_The soldier growled and rushed her. She caught his first blow in her fist, then punched him hard in the chest sending him to his knees. Xander could see she was clutching a set of Handcuffs in each hand and was with these that she was striking the man each time she punched him. She punched him a lot. When he finally collapsed, she dragged him over to the corner and used the cuffs to tie him to an old metal Can in the corner of the room._

_Once she was done, she rose and walked over to the tied up Scooby while looking at Xander with cold blue eyes._

_"I guess that settles the question as to if you are on their side or not." The Maid said thoughtfully, "Still the enemy of my enemy is not necessarily my friend."_

_***  
_

"So who is this guy?" Faith asked tiredly.

"His name is Dinkins and he is...was ... an active duty American Soldier in the employ of the NSA "

Faith shook her head vigorously, "No, this makes no sense Xander was looking for slaves and possible buyers how the hell would he get involved with a NSA Black Op."

Benny piped up from the corner. "Oldest trick in the investigators handbook is follow the money trail. You would need big funds if you were going to buy a slave, ship her across the world and keep it quiet."

Chang nodded in agreement, "Ask the right questions in the right way and you would be surprised what someone will tell you."

"Well Roberta is no slouch in the Question and Answer department." Revy cackled, "I'm betting Xander got a real crash course from the Maid.'

***  
_Xander looked at the passed out Dinkins. He preferred him this way, the man's screams had been kind of unnerving._

_"Are you going to wake him up or must I?" The Maid asked coldly_

_"Why the hell would I want him awake?"_

_"The Slayer, Dinkins knows what they are and how to control them and perhaps how to kill them. I want to know what he knows and he will tell me."_

_"Wait a damn minute, those girls, you have no idea what their lives were like. What they suffered."_

_"What, are you going to tell me?" The Maid hissed "That they were abused, beaten that they were victims of circumstance. All those things were true for me and I still knew that I was killing, maiming. The gutter mud on your boots is not an excuse; not for me and not for them."_

_"How is torturing him going to change anything."_

_"Listen to yourself, if I had come later or not at all it would be you strapped to the metal can with hot coals on your privates. Have you ever smelt your own flesh burning Senor Harris? He wanted to do that to you so that he could protect his dirty little secrets. Ask yourself this, What do you think this man and his people would do to you if they had the chance. What do you think they will do to your People, the ones you claim are innocent and not a threat to anyone. The people that you know and love. What would someone like this do if he had the chance to hurt them?"_

_Xander looked at the man in front of him and thought of Buffy and Faith and Dawn and the rest.._

_"As I said Senor Harris I will ask the questions there is no need for you to get your hands dirty. "_

_"I thought you guys were all about the car battery and the jumper cables." Xander sighed weakly._

_"If you'd like to watch him I can pull the battery from the truck in the garage."_

_"I'll get the battery out of the truck ... and there's some questions I'd like to ask him if you don't mind."_

_"If there is a wash tub in the Garage could you bring it in here. I shall also need some rubber gloves, road salt, a measuring cup and some sponges."  
_

***

After that the trail gets murky the only thing my contacts could determine was that a man and woman booked passage and headed for Roanapur. That is why Fabiola and I are here. Roberta has returned to this city and it appears for whatever reason your friend accompanied her. How willing a traveling companion, is hard to say."

"Why would Xander hook up with Glasses Bitch?" Revy muttered,

"It makes sense from Xander's point of view." Rock mused thoughtfully,"Roberta is clearly on a vengeance mission, taking out every one she thinks was involved with Diego's murder. That presumably includes the Slayer she fought the day Lovelace died."

Dutch agreed "If he sticks with her the chances are high he will encounter that Slayer again."

"But Xander is all about saving Slayers, not killing them." Faith reminded them.

"He is saving Slayers." Rock explained "In this case, you for one, and the other Slayers still in Roanapur. Roberta is not likely to distinguish between friend and foe. If it slays she is going to kill it "

"How, according to The Young Master here, she barely survived her first encounter. If not for Xander she might be dead."

Garcia pulled another picture of a gruesome looking plant. "Have you ever head of something called Devil's Root?" he asked Faith.

"Can't say that I have, Why?"

"The Shopkeeper, the one Roberta ...spoke with, claims your friend bought almost the entire supply that was in the shop. She explained that ground up and boiled into a tea or thin paste it is a restorative that can accelerate healing and promote intense mental focus while increasing vitality. However it can in extreme cases be consumed raw though the shopkeeper was most clear on what happens in this case..."

***

_Xander grimly looked at Roanapur as the ship pulled into port "Are you sure the solders came here?"_

_"I am very good at what I do Senor they came here I have no doubt they brought your lost lambs with them."_

_"I'm telling you she was just a tool. They used her."_

_"I want to look in her eyes and hear her tell me that. I will know if she is lying I assure you."_

_"I just want to make sure you remember that when ... things start hopping."_

_Roberta turned a cold eye on him,"Make no mistake Mr Harris I still do not trust that your Watchers were not involved with the death of Master Lovelace but I am convinced that you believe otherwise. that alone is not enough for me.I want to see for myself that this woman, this Slayer was used by the Americans then and only then will I assume your Watchers are as innocent as you claim. now give it to me." She held out her hand._

_Xander was obviously reluctant, Roberta's eyes narrowed dangerously, "I know what the shop keeper gave you Senor I have the last one from her shop. You bought the rest now give them to me."_

_"Were you as persuasive with her as you were with the NSA guy?"_

_"She survived, and I would not lose sleep over her Mr. Harris, she sold your location to Dinkens for money and not even American dollars either."_

_Xander looked miserable as he passed her a bag. Roberta reached into the bag a pulled from it a misshapen root. She looked at it fascinated. "The ultimate equalizer," Xander explained "I learned about it from my friend -- Willow, with that, even I can stand up to a Slayer. Anyone can really, if you don't mind the crippling side effects like dementia and possible death."_

_"I have earned death a thousand time over for my sins and as for dementia ...well you would be surprised how such things can sometimes clarify your thoughts." While saying this, she downed a few more of the pills she had been taking like candy since Caracas . Xander was no expert but he could read a bottle and knew powerful anti-psychotics when he saw them._

_Xander watched her and again prayed that he was making the right choice or failing that making a mistake that would at least keep Buffy and Faith and the rest out of Roberta's line of fire._

***


	3. Chapter 3

There was a disturbing quiet that descended over the city of Roanapur. Everyone felt it, the quiet before the storm. Faith was climbing the walls of her loft knowing that Xander was out there and that finding him was beyond her right at the moment. She had said an emphatic no to Garcia's request for help in bringing Roberta safely home.

***  
_"...But why?" Garcia asked,"We will need help finding Roberta."_

_"You're going to need a miracle kid," Faith responded, "...and that's just for starters. I'm saying no because five minutes ago you were ready to blame me and mine for the death of your father. If I help and we find nothing, you'll assume I was covering up something. If we strike pay dirt then I can look forward to fighting your enemies with someone at my back I can't trust and who I know doesn't trust me. There isn't any good reason for me to get involved and loads of good reasons to stay clear."_

_"What about your friend he is in harm's way." Fabiola pointed out._

_Faith shook her head again, "Xander is maybe safer right where he is. If Roberta was going to kill him, wouldn't she have done it in South America? I've known Xander for almost a decade and his ability to get into and out of trouble is equaled only by his ability to survive around incredibly dangerous females. He's gotta be planning something and until I know better, I'm better off giving him room to make his move. Either way I'm out...for now."_

***

Lagoon Company was equally split on the subject of helping the young Lovelace boy. Rock, as usual, went where his moral compass was leading him. Benny for his own reasons decided to tag along. Revy seemed pissed at Rock's latest altruistic crusade and seemed determined to sit the whole thing out, out of simple spite. Dutch was clear. Rock was free to pursue his agenda until such time as the stakes got too high, at which point he was expected to get the hell out of Dodge and keep the whole mess the hell away from Dutch's precious boat.

Faith was seriously questioning her judgment on the third day when Boss Chang called her for a lunch meeting. They sat in a small restaurant where the triad boss ordered Chinese food. When it arrived Faith was surprised to find the meal was imitation fare, the kind readily available in The States. and to her knowledge reviled by anyone actually from China.

Chang smiled at her confusion, " Let me guess, you think there isn't any place that makes decent Clam Chowder right? The thing is... Faith, if you go into most situations with an open mind, no expectations and a cast iron stomach you will discover there is a lot of really good things out there "

"I'll take your word for it. why the invite Boss I'm grateful for the rescue but..."

Chang reached behind him and handed her a long thin tube. Faith inspected the thing and saw up close it was a Katana sword stored in a featureless scabbard. she gasped as she inspected the fine blade and the craftsmanship behind it. she looked closely at the almost unnoticeable family crest on the pommel of the hilt.

Chang answered her questing gaze, "The crest of the Washimine clan. that weapon belonged to the their number one enforcer Ginji Matsuzuki. they called him among other things -- Manslayer."

"Where'd it come from or should I ask?"

"Ginji was legendary within the Yakuza. A man of incredible ability and talent yet in the end he was undone. We all eventually face something that exceeds our abilities Faith. You, me, everyone. Learn your limits and understand them as well or better then you know the limits of your enemy or you know what'll happen? Someday some youngster will be handed that blade and be told how great you USED to be."

"Slayers are hard to kill boss."

"So are Yakuza enforcers, especially the ones who can cut down bullets in flight. Yet the sword is here and Ginji is not I hope you can learn the lesson."

"May I assume that things are getting weird."

"We are way past weird. This city exists because everyone in it makes a Devil's deal. A choice to preserve the balance that makes a place like this run."

"You're concerned The Maid is disrupting the balance."

"She might survive this, she has survived worse things then the fight she is trying to pick. Hell, some of the soldiers she is pursuing might even make it through this in one piece. As for Xander however, I'm warning you now Southie this is not ending well and our mutual friend is on the wrong side. Xander being on the middle of this storm doesn't bode well for his survival."

"I know I'm going to piss you off by asking this but how bad can this wench really be. I mean OK she's vicious and hardcore but she's not exactly the most dangerous thing I've dealt with in my life."

"Faith how old are you? mid-twenties, right?, When you were deciding which flavor of paint tasted the best, Roberta was learning to kill people. When you were mastering the complexities of tying your shoelaces, Roberta was learning to kill people. She possesses and has mastered skills in every form of armed and unarmed combat that the human animal has ever devised, and she is arguably better at it then the people that invented them."

"Forgive my staggering lack of belief in that." Faith quipped sardonically "I mean OK Revy's an awesome gunslinger and Shenhua and Ms. Balalaika are pretty formidable in their own way but what you are describing ..."

"... Is the complete and unvarnished truth, Faith. it is the truth. A while back The Cartels tried to strong arm Diego Lovelace into handing over his lands and property. It was some kind of land scam thing. They kidnapped Garcia to make their point and Lagoon Company was the lucky duckies assigned to transport him here. Lovelace sent The Maid to find Garcia and she shot this town up good and hard doing it. Killed most of the Cartel membership stationed here came within a hairsbreadth of killing Rebecca and probably would have if not for Hotel Moscow."

Faith had already met the leader of The local branch of the Russian Mafia and their scary as hell leader, Balalaika, a woman whose reputation for ruthlessness was well deserved and earned. "How did the Vodka Queen manage to keep those two from killing each other?" She asked in awe.

"A little gun barrel diplomacy. Balalaika and the Maid came to -- an understanding."

Faith nodded gravely "Well I've known Xander a long time, He has survived some pretty deranged situations."

"There are all kinds of survival Southie, Some are better then others. Maybe Xander will still be breathing when this is over but he isn't going to be the same; none of us are."

Faith nodded slowly " It would take a lot to get to that one you have no idea what Sunnydale was like Boss. what it did to people to grow up in that kind of hell."

"Maybe so Kid, but so far he's partly responsible for the brutal torture and murder of one American Serviceman. He's also planning to help in the deaths of at least two dozen more. I know why he's doing it. I know for a fact he is still alive because he's doing it but do you really think he going to walk away clean from something like that?"

***

The coming conflict and The precarious place that Xander had found for himself in the midst of it was also on the mind of Eda. as she paced the hallways of the Church of Violence. She cursed the crusading Xander and his damn indifference to the harsh realities at play. Eda had been working her contacts trying to find out who was really behind the Lovelace killing but increasingly the answer to the question was becoming all too obvious. The killing of Lovelace was exactly what it looked like. Someone in the NSA with more balls then brains had unwisely decide to commit US resources and lives to a Black Operation. A Major Claxton head of a commando group known as the Grey Foxes had assisted in the elimination of Lovelace and Claxton's group was now on its way through Roanapur on a mission to arrest some demented Drug Lord. That Lovelace was dead, that his child was orphaned would be seen as collateral damage, acceptable loss in comparison to whatever had been gained by the action. Xander's potential death either at the hands of the The Maid or more likely here in Roanapur during her hunt for vengeance, would be seen as an equally regrettable but acceptable loss because hey, you can't make an omelette ... right?

Eda finally pulled out of her introspection when she felt the ringing of her cellphone. It was a restricted line. as she checked the ID of the caller she cursed as the ID came on the screen. Back at Langley, her coldly ruthless caller had responsibility for overseeing Extra-Normal Affairs, a lovely euphemism for supernatural matters possibly affecting national security. Eda wasn't the only one who'd nicknamed the woman Ice Bitch.

"Eda my dove," the voice's insincerity was thick and undisguised, "Whatever does a girl need to do to get an update from you about your fortuitous spot in the center of the storm."

"I don't answer to you, not now, not ever." Eda snapped bitterly,

"You started having to answer to me when you started romping with a prime asset. I've been trying to get Xander Harris under my thumb for over a year now and he just stumbles into your bed. Some girls have all the luck huh?"

"You should read a sit-rep once in a while. I met Harris the summer after his graduation he ended up in Roanapur and spent the Summer aboard the Black Lagoon. When he came back looking for info on a Slayer Trafficking Network we got re-acquainted."

"What was he doing in Caracas?"

"Getting involved with an illegal NSA operation I assume. I thought you were calling because someone ratted me out."

"Of course, I have half the section chiefs trying to get agents close to this Watchers Organization and suddenly their Number Two guy pops up on the grid in the middle of an NSA op. Then suddenly there's this thing with the Bloodhound."

"The NSA screwed the pooch on that. Lovelace was holding the Bloodhound's leash and when he died she went completely random.

"What's The Watcher's Council Agenda by hooking up with The Maid."

"Xander is following Two Slayers purchased from the Black Market. He stumbled across a NSA slush fund trail and followed it to Caracas."

"No wonder their sputtering. Gotta be a little humiliating having a civilian contractor get all up in their grill and get away with it. Still You do know Harris has back story with the Ops team don't you?

"I know Harris is tracking the girls, beyond that I got nothing."

Her caller sang a happy tune at her "Said the Ice Bitch to the Little Nun, you don't know what I know."

"What don't I know?"

"Say please."

Eda growled, "Please tell me why Xander is hanging with the Maid?"

"The NSA needed a Slayer expert to manage their newly purchased assets they brought in someone homegrown with loyalty to spare. his name is Riley Finn and he was the number two man in The Initiative. That name ring a bell or two for you girlfriend. "

Eda recalled The Government's biggest and most high profile attempt to control and study supernatural activity on the large scale. It was also their most high profile failure. "The Initiative does, Finn doesn't"

"Finn was making time with Harris' cheerleader. When Finn went domestic, Harris lost his big chance to seal the sweet deal with his cheerleader-slash-demon fighter. By the time Finn was out of the picture Harris was involved with someone else. Your boyfriend's psyche profile screams addiction to strong women and classic jealously issues and possessive behavior patterns. I'd say that he's looking for some payback while shadowing the Bloodhound"

Eda smiled, "What about the Cartels, What did our people in country say they were doing about this."

"Bogotá is sending some experts to deal with The Maid. If they know that killing The Maid will start a feud with the Watchers they either aren't aware or they don't care. Too bad really, Harris would be the perfect in with the Watchers, easily manipulated and controlled."

Eda beamed, "If push comes to shove I got another In with the Watchers hopefully I can persuade him to give them an invitation to the party."

"Who's Your Council contact"

"That's for me to know and you to sit and spin about."

"Don't get cute with me Little Nun," The Ice Bitch snapped, "As long as Harris is your bitch, you're going to be mine -- and I'm very demanding. Are we clear?"

"Oh crystal honey, buh-bye." Eda snapped the phone closed and turned to find Yolanda looking on in amused silence. "If he weren't so good in bed I'd serious wonder if all this drama were worth my effort."

"You and practically every woman since the dawn of time my dear. Still you and I both know as long as that boy is with you, your people will want some measure of control and that thankless task will fall to you."

"Not to mention the Watchers themselves. If his friends are even half as troublesome as he's lead me to believe, I'm going to have bad ass busy bodies in my face before this is over. Between his people and mine ...That's a few too many voyeurs for my use. Still, I don't have to deal with that for at least a day. The Maid won't wait much longer then that to start hunting the Americans."

"The help the Colombians are expecting should be here by then as well. I suspect you will be a busy little girl once that happens are you up for the challenge."

Eda shouldered her holster and straightened her nuns habit. "I got Jesus on my side how can I fail?"

"Jesus Christ had it easy compared to us all he was trying to do was change the world, you're trying to change Roanapur."

***

The Timetable of the coming battle was ever on the mind of another. A gun shot had disturbed the worried musing of one Xander Lavelle Harris and he was dashing down the hall to investigate the sound. The Maid and He were holed up in an out of the way hotel. She had wanted to avoid the traditional stops. All the better to reduce the chances of being discovered by accident. He burst into the room thinking that the war had started while he had been napping instead he found a disturbing tableaux. The Maid with a gun out, pointed at Harry the only other guy who could handle big ticket weapon purchases other then the Church of Violence.

"Xander what is with this freaky bitch?"

"Harry you should know better then to sneak up on an armed and dangerous person in this town."

"Who was sneaking I was just unloading the equipment. She was praying away in the corner and all of a sudden she's trying to gun me down."

Xander decided to try for a bluff."Harry you know who this is, you know what she did. If she wanted you dead, you wouldn't even have seen her coming. We are all a little tense, so how's about you unload that stuff in my room down the hall. We'll both join you uno momentaro."

Harry left cursing about crazy maids and wacky demon hunters, slamming the door as he did.

Xander waited until he was sure the man had left then turned with a jerk. "Opening fire on the guy who's providing you cut rate for a bulk weapons purchase is not a smart thing to do. that sort of thing tends to stand out in a person's memory. the last thing you want if you need this little expedition to remain a secret."

The Maid ignored him responding tersely,"His discretion will be bought along with his weapons."

"You should have let me talk to Bao. You honestly think he isn't going to tell anyone you're in town, especially if half of what I have heard is the truth."

"He is not lying. I did destroy his foul establishment the last time I was here and had he not given me what I wanted, I would have done it again."

"The wrongness of this deal gets worse every second that passes."

"Then leave, I will deal with the Americans and their Slayers, as I see fit." The Maid snapped

"Oh yeah and I'm sure that you'll let me take my little herbs with me when I go won't you. You're still out for Slayer blood. If I'm not here you'll start with the ones with the Americans and end up on Buffy's doorstep."

"I will know what role your people played in the death of Master Lovelace. If all they were are bystanders, I will want to know why they stood by and did nothing as a good man was killed. If they were involved, then by Santa Maria they will pay blood for blood."

"See that's what I don't get. What are you getting out of this? What about Lovelace's kid shouldn't you be covering his back, I mean he just lost his father. I would be all kinds of screwed up if I was him."

"I am doing this for him, because of him. He was an innocent child a perfect soul in this decaying heap of shit. Heaven's grace should shine on one such as he for all of his life instead a bunch of cowards steal his father away and so-called protectors stand idle while it happens."

"I didn't know..."

"So you keep protesting. You didn't know. Yet you were smart enough to follow a trail of money from New York To Venezuela. You were intelligent enough to deduce that Dinkens' money financed the sale of your precious Slayer girls and Lucentes brought them to the city where they were prepared for their role as assassins."

"How was I supposed to know that they intended to use the girls to kill your master. What about you, you're supposed to be some ultra-bad ass. You telling me you didn't notice a bunch of military ops guys hanging around."

"Migrant workers are a fact of life in the city as are ex-military. It was only after the fact that I began to see the chain of co-incidence that betrayed the stench of conspiracy and collusion.

"Well what about when it actually happened something must of seemed...I don't know, weird, a chill in the air something. "

"That was why your Slayers were there. I have no doubt that our enemy knew I would be watchful and provided a distraction."

"It makes a certain kind of sense. You eyeball the Slayers and concentrate on them let's the shaped blast do its work. nice, neat and tidy."

"Indeed," The Maid mused suspiciously, "A convenient conclusion to jump to don't you think."

"Relax, you said that you were there to see the explosion. I don't care how super strong you might be other-wise if you were close enough to see the bomb go off and yet you lived to tell the tale that means they shaped the charge to make sure they got maximum bang for their bolivar."

"I now know it was your American NSA that was behind the bombing I still don't know why but I'm sure one of the soldiers will tell me what I want to know."

"I might feel better about that plan if Harry wasn't sitting in my room right now with enough guns to arm a small country."

"You have a carpenter's hands. would you attempt to build a house without the best tools at your disposal."

"You aren't building a house; you're declaring war on the whole damn city."

"They declared war." The Maid snarled angrily, "I am responding and if any in Roanapur are foolish enough to get between me and my target then they have earned their fate as surely as the murderers of Master Lovelace."

"Lovely, great planning there, and what happens if The GI-Joes get killed before they can tell you what you want to know."

"Then for the sake of your friends you had best hope that one of them dies absolving the Watchers of guilt. Besides, if you really see yourself as a protector to these women you should seek to punish these cowards as much as I. they purchased stolen innocence and turned it to the task of murder."

"I'm no fan of the what the bastards did, especially if What Dinkins said about their personnel was true, but the girls have to be my priority now. If I can't save them from being used, at least i can get to them before they so lost they can't find their way back. "

"The point you are referring to is long past Senor Harris, their involvement in Master Diego's death was the line you feared they would cross, and they have crossed it. Believe me, there shall be retribution for their part in his death."

"Yeah? Well my experience Rosa, is that Vengeance has a nasty habit of becoming an uncontrollable fire that consumes everything till there is nothing left."

The Maid turned quickly at his words."An odd choice of phrase Senor, tell me where you heard it."

"What," Xander sighed dismissively, " I was just repeating something I heard somewhere, I can't remember where though. Why?"

"I have never told you my real name. In fact, oddly enough you have never asked my name in all the time we have been traveling and yet you know the name Rosarita."

"I doubt you would believe me, even if I could explain. Now maybe you should go and see what goodies Harry has for you. If I'm following you into hell I want to make sure I'm properly packed and ready for the trip."

"Who said you were coming along?"

"You did. Dinkins was very specific. They had two Slayers in the group and a handler. Someone experienced with Slayers. What they are what they can do and how to control them. I know what the girls look like and I know their Handler if the name Dinkins provided was real. I have to finger them or else you might either kill someone innocent or else you'll go on a general Slayer Hunt."

"So now you are suddenly unconcerned with the possibility that I am killing your fellow countrymen. You surprise me."

"Look me in the eye and tell me ...do I look like I'm lying when I say I will do what it takes to keep my friends safe. if its from the government, gods, devils or you. I will do what I have to."

"Impressive, Senor Harris, you know there is something about you. Something familiar."

The woman shook it off and departed. Xander followed trying to think about what had just happened because he was increasingly having the same feeling. Somewhere somehow he had seen this strange woman and her blue eyes before. When he closed his eyes he could almost smell the damp wet and heat of the Central American jungle assaulting his sense and a voice he almost recognized.

_***_

_"Watch your step kid those revolutionary regs are no joke."_

_"Ah c'mon Captain let junior have his dreams."_

_"Fuck his dreams I'd rather he had his balls after this trip is over. You hear me Rookie keep it in your pants and stay away from the hired help especially that one. they say she's already a monster in training."_

_***  
_  
There it was again the same group of voices he had been hearing off and on. especially since this trip had started. It was impossible where was this memory coming from. but of course he already knew. The same place all his military related thoughts and instincts ever came from. That damn Halloween years ago in Sunnydale when Xander Harris had checked out for the the night and Soldier Boy had come to play. the memories had come and gone since then and after he had been blinded He assumed they were gone forever but something about this woman was triggering them again. Somehow, somewhere Soldier Boy had encountered the Maid.


	4. Chapter 4

Faith was considering calling Slayer Central on the day that Revy finally called to proclaim the hunt was on.

Rock had an unproductive week having doors slammed in his face whenever he asked any questions whatsoever. Finally tired of making no headway he and Revy had come to an understanding. They had poked around and found out that Roberta had equipped herself with an impressive arsenal. They had then made a visit to Leroy an information broker who had done business with Roberta providing her logistical information about her prey and who had confirmed that Xander was indeed with her and was more then along for the ride. While nowhere near as armed and dangerous as The Maid, the Scooby had apparently committed himself to Roberta's war. Leroy had revealed two other important details; One, Roberta had a huge price on her head and rather then lose anymore low ranking thugs in the collection of that price the Colombian Cartel had seen fit to bring in professionals to deal with the matter. Two, Roberta was maintaining a fragile grasp on sanity with increasingly large amounts of anti-psychotic pills. The Pills were apparently suppressing her killing rage. Leroy reported that only the handfuls of pills and Xander's somewhat soothing presence were the only things keeping Roberta from going into a total berserker rage.

Realizing that it was looking like they would have a fight on their hands getting to Roberta, Revy had called on Faith, telling her they would swing by and pick her up in the car. When they arrived Fabiola and Garcia were in the back. Faith made a point of ignoring the pint sized scion. She slipped into the front seat with Rock giving her new sword a haunted look.

"Where did you get that?" He asked,

"Chang gave it to me he said it was a re-gift from Balalaika."

Revy whistled appreciatively, "Chang gave you Jumbo's sword; cool. Can you use it?"

"I don't know if I can cut bullets in flight but yeah I can use it."

"Well we'll know soon enough. Looks like Glasses Bitch is here and Xander is with her. Even worse she hired Black Death Bren to watch their back."

"Who's that?"

"Killer for hire, Very good, has some history with Harris."

"Xander, what did Xander do to get on the radar of a trained assassin."

"Bren occasionally does contract work for some outfit called the Order of something or other. According to the scuttlebutt Xander and his crew are like famous or something for taking out three of the Order's hit men."

Faith sighed, "They're called The Order of Taraka and I heard about it. It was more luck then anything else."

"Of course it was," Revy snapped dismissively "This is Dumb-Ass Number Two we are talking about."

"Thank you for accompanying us Ms Faith," Garcia stated politely

"I'm accompanying Revy and Rock and the only reason I'm doing that is if something happens to either of them, Xander will kill me and if something happens to Xander, Buffy and Willow will skin me alive."

Garcia nodded, "Nevertheless I thank you for your help I am sure that we will be able to find Roberta now."

"Somehow I suspect finding her will present slightly less of a challenge then stopping her from killing us or herself while going for her targets." Faith replied bitterly

"I'm thinking someone got the four-one-one about the Glasses Bitch's last rampage."

"Oh yeah Chang told me the entire fucked up thing. Including how it ended."

"Man that was some fight. Glasses Bitch and me scrapped for like over an hour. It was bare-knukles boxing but still that was fucking amazing and the gunfight beforehand was pure magic. Not a bad finish either... double KO."

Rock snickered a bit and dropped his head. Garcia however startled at her words "I am afraid you are very much mistaken Ms Rebecca. Roberta was the last man standing in that fight."

"Small fry I was there OK," Revy snapped, "Both of us went down. That's the way it happened right -- what are you laughing at, Rock?"

Rock started giggling louder. "If we had told you the truth, you'd have crossed the ocean for a rematch. Dutch felt it would be better just to let you keep thinking that you sort of won the match."

Revy cursed bitterly "That settles it me and Glasses Bitch are settling up when this is over. No way is she sucker punching me like she did last time either."

Now that she knew how much danger both they were in, Faith was even less sure that they would pull off the challenging task of intercepting Roberta and Xander. "Are you kidding me? This is mess." Faith cursed.

Revy on the other hand seemed almost gleeful at the battle to come. "Yeah but it's a mess we can deal with and now we know what we are up against. As a matter a fact, Rock stop the car -- I'm making a call."

"But we are so close." Garcia protested,

"We aren't close to shit hombre, there are an army of thugs between us and her and I want some back up before I go marching into that brier patch." She climbed from the car and made a call from a payphone. She alternately cursed and cajoled into the phone and at one point screamed back asking Garcia what he was willing to pay for additional forces. Fabiola aggressively shouldered her master out of the way to demand by hand gesture that Revy keep the amount small but Revy ended up negotiating for three more fighters at combined total of over eighteen grand.

"How are you going to come up with that kind of money?" asked Faith who beginning to think she should have asked for some danger pay herself.

"I can liquidate some of the family assets."

"Yeah, how is Roberta paying for assassins and weapons by the way?" Faith asked curiously,

"Master Diego was very generous with the Head Housemaid." Fabiola insisted,

Rock responded thoughtfully "I suspect she is using the money she made during her time with the FARC.

"I didn't know being a revolutionary paid that well " Faith replied ruefully

"Normally it doesn't, but the FARC are well known pay-for-play terrorists and drug money speaks loudly in many parts of the world." Rock answered.

Garcia seemed hurt at the idea and Rock was sensitive to this.

"I mean nothing bad by that Garcia but it stands to reason, their determination to catch up with Roberta makes no sense if it was just pride on the line. I suspect that when Roberta left the Cartels she didn't leave empty handed."

"Nice, a Cartel financed retirement." Faith laughed,

"She took what she considered was a fair severance package so-to-speak." Rock explained, "I have no doubt your father has been secretly helping her reinvest and launder the money all these years."

"Why, why would my father do something like that?" Garcia asked.

"Diego wanted to give Roberta a chance to heal and atone for the things she had done. And she...she wanted to pay him back for his kindness and eventually I suspect it was about you Garcia. She was really holding it together for your sake. That's why you are the most important person here. You can reason with her where she won't listen to anyone else."

"Assuming that your medicated maid will listen to reason." Faith snapped. Garcia had been shocked when Leroy revealed the facts about Roberta's increasing self-medication. Fabiola had admitted to being aware of the powerful anti-psychotics but that Roberta had maintained she was fine.

Rock sighed again; "I'm worried about what might happen with Roberta using that devils root to confront the Slayers. If she is already wired tight enough to snap something like that can only make the situation worse."

Faith looked at the man grimly "Honestly Rock I can't think of too many things that could make this situation any worse."

Revy finally returned to the car in a seemingly bright mood, "Alright I got us some back-up lets head to the hotel and make some noise."

"Who's coming?" Faith asked curiously.

"Chinglish. She said she was bringing The Cleaner and someone else along and that they'd meet us there."

Revy's notorious habit of referring to people almost exclusively by nickname was a tad confusing but Faith recalled "Chingish" was her moniker for Shenhua a lethal blade expert. There was some professional rivalry between Revy and Shenhua but Faith found she got along fine with the Pidgin English spouting assassin. The Cleaner was obviously Fredericka Sawyer, a quietly dangerous Gothic Lolita whose principle weapon was a large and cumbersome chainsaw that Sawyer could wield with alarming grace. She was normally called in after the fighting was done to dispose of the dead or dying. A task that she performed with a care and attention to detail that was scary. However once in a while she liked to get her hands dirty in the field

Faith wondered again if all of this was really necessary. Then again she had ample eye witness testimony about the Maid's battle skills and if Xander had really stacked the deck by giving the bitch access to mojo capable of making her even stronger and crazier then she normally was then they were definitely in for a rough time.

* * *

Major Shane J. Claxton considered his next move and his opponent carefully before sliding a bishop across the board to menace the opposing queen. Riley Finn knew immediately the game was over. He sighed and maneuvered his queen out of danger exposing his defensive line. Claxton would have him in a half dozen moves, maybe less.

"You know son your always going to lose as long as you cling to the idea that the queen is more important then the King."

"I guess I like to assume that every piece on the board is important in the long run."

Claxton smiled, "They are, but the game is won or lost based on what happens to the King. As long as he is in play the game can go on for a long time."

The veiled meaning wasn't lost on Finn who smiled ruefully, "Underestimating the importance of the queen has been a error in judgment in my experience."

"She is important Finn; make no mistake. The queen can swing the battle in your favour or snatch it away but in the end the game can be won or lost in her absence."

"So why do you even need her."

"If we are still talking about the game then I'd say its because the board would look damn uneven with nothing standing next to the King."

"...And if we've moved beyond the board?"

"Same thing, our target has a fetish for dominating strong women. Slayers have become something of a boutique item in that regard which makes one an ideal operative to get close to him and capture him."

Riley looked toward the room where his two charges were resting. "I'm not sure Buff- The Watchers Council will see it that way. Given the Government's past handling of Slayer related matters they might be inclined to be less then understanding."

Claxton nodded tersely, "Your strenuous and ongoing objection to this stratagem was duly noted the last several times you brought it up Lieutenant."

"The op in Caracas was barely a success. Our agent was identified, came close to being captured."

"The presence of the civilian was a bad stroke of luck Finn but that is all it was. There is nothing mystical about that. Your Mr. Harris was following threads around the globe. It stands to reason he'd stumble across one leading to South America."

"You haven't heard from Dinkins since we left Caracas and this city has become ... uncomfortably silent the last day or so. Something is happening out there and I can't help but think the Girls are part of it."

Claxton snapped "Lieutenant Commander please summarize the sit-rep given to you less then twelve hours ago."

Riley snapped to attention. "Subject Sheu Yan of the People's Army has left his fortified base. His intent is to make contact with persons unknown to purchase a female from the black market. The General's interest has been piqued by rumors of supernaturally strong women and he wants two of his own. Our intent is to pose as the sellers and pass off our operatives as his dream dates. They will then be taken to the fortified fortress where they will affect his capture while neutralizing the HST forces that Yan has assembled to protect him."

"Thank you L-T now do you see anyway of effecting his capture without the assistance of the Slayers."

"No Sir"

"Given the previously mentioned reluctance of those American citizens so gifted with these abilities to place themselves in the service to their country, can we count on or even expect their help."

"No sir"

"Do you object to a war criminal and global drug kingpin being taken for trial?"

"No Sir"

"Do you perhaps object to the death of Lovelace in Venezuela?"

"Assuming the Intel we had was reliable then his death was a regrettable but unavoidable circumstance."

"I would have preferred that Lovelace not have been a victim but orders are orders Finn; to be carried out, not questioned incessantly like a nervous bitch."

"I apologize if my actions have been perceived as questioning the chain of command sir I was only offering my logistical support and analysis of the situation as I was instructed to do."

"Your knowledge of Slayers and supernatural matters has been and continues to be invaluable. LT but there are bigger things at stake here then the fate of two wayward girls. Their lives with us are considerably better then what they had to look forward to in that camp Dinkins found them in "

"There is no debating that point sir."

"L-T you know the Watchers, if their agent was in Caracas what will he have done.

"Alexander Harris is loyal to the Watcher's Council. He will have reported seeing a girl in Caracas and they will begin attempting to trace her movements backwards or forwards if they go back, they will find the camp, which will lead them here. If they go forward, they'll be tracking our movements, which will again lead them here. Either way our window of opportunity to leave the city is a small one."

"Then let us hope for the sake of the other poor souls in the camp, The Watcher's end up there and free them. In the main time, we have a mission to complete and I expect you to make sure those Slayers are ready to do their part when the time comes."

Suddenly the door to the Slayer's room burst open and one of the girls came out crying frantically. "Death ... Death is here, she is coming, She is coming for me."

"LT" Claxton said tiredly, this was not the first time the girl had freaked out and only Riley could calm her down.

"I'm thinking that whatever I was worried about is about to happen "

"How reliable is that early warning system of theirs LT."

"As always sir it depends on the Slayer. Buffy's ability worked in fits and starts but some have had very accurate abilities to predict events. Thus far however ours has been quite accurate."

Claxton nodded and motioned to one of the other solders in the room. "We are bugging out, scout the surrounding area while the LT here gets our packages packed and ready to roll no engagement just locate. And ID we'll decide what we are doing once we know what we are up against."


	5. Chapter 5

A van cruised slowly down a lonely street of Roanapur's hotel district. The occupants were visitors. Each one was a trained veteran of the Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia or FARC. Officially they were revolutionaries, trying to change the socio-political landscape of South America. Unofficially, they were terrorists and dog soldiers of the and of late they had branched into taking control of drug production themselves. Why work for another when they could work for themselves and keep the money in the vast organization. They still hired themselves out for guard duty and occasionally settling scores on behalf of various Cartel bosses. Each one saw themselves as trained and elite killers. However, even combined, their ability was at best only a close match for their single most famous veteran. The woman who had helped to make them a force to be reckoned with, feared and respected in places as far a field even as this South China Sea paradise. Yet their target, their focus, was this very same legend. These luckless men and women would be the heroes who would at last bring down the infamous Bloodhound.

Their leader Alberto looked at the two squads of killers arrayed in front of him He thought about what to tell them. What he could say about their target, about the American accompanying her. Should he build their hopes of success, convince them that as a team these two fugitives could not beat them. In the end though Alberto went with the truth.

"Our target is Rosarita Cisnaros, once she was one of us, The Bloodhound of Florencia. They say that she was second only to Carlos The Jackal himself in skill. Every way of killing a man you know; she knows, and she is better then you. An American travels with her. His name is Alexander Harris you will have heard a lot of wild stories connected with him; stories of demons and monsters and the like -- believe them. This man has faced the horrors of hell itself and survived. You must be stronger and better then the furies of hell if you even want him to notice you.  
Use your heads and survive and you will be remembered and rewarded as Gods and Goddesses. Underestimate either one of these two and you'll be lucky if all that happens to you is death."

* * *

"You know most people just fill out the comment card when they are checking out of a hotel they didn't like." Xander mused,

"I am not most people as I am sure you have observed." Rosarita stated plainly as she looked through a powerful set of binoculars.

The Maid had insisted on dousing their rooms in gasoline and setting fire to the whole thing. They had torched an entire floor of their hotel in the process. Rosarita seemed comfortable with the plan while Xander...well Xander was in go-with-the-flow mode.

"Tell me again why you wanted Bren's people to lead the attack." He had been complaining about dealing with the assassin since the deal was forged and Rosarita for once was not badgering him or berating him for it. She was apparently aware of the fearsome reputation of the Order of Taraka and having Bren as much as confirm that Xander was one of the more embarrassing hiccups in their history of perfect kills had impressed her.

"I doubt he is sending his own people to confront the Americans. He has no doubt hired street trash and is sending them to their deaths against The Marines We have only to wait and our dogs will come running to us." In response to her words there was an explosion across the distance between the building the duo were standing on and the hotel the Americans were hiding in. The first explosion was followed by two more culminating in a massive discharge that collapsed part of the roof.

"I guess our guests just checked out." Xander quipped.

Rosarita grunted in affirmative and tossed him the binoculars. "Let me know if your farm boy or the Slayers are among the ones fleeing to the roof."

Xander watched her yank the cover off of one of her many weapons purchases she had been carting around. It was a heavily modified Barret Rifle. Someone had mounted a powerful grenade launcher on the bottom of the already fearsome gas powered weapon. She hefted the cumbersome rifle easily as she swiftly attached a powerful scope to the rifle portion.

Turning his attention back to the building, he looked through the binoculars and focused on the distant roof. He could see the Marines positioning themselves across the roof; securing the area. They had that swaggering air that comes from having dealt with a potential threat. They had obviously kicked ass and took names and were enjoying the afterglow of their success.

"Well?" Rosarita snapped

Xander scanned the forms and faces that he could see while shaking his head. "No Finn and no Slayers. I 'm guessing their still inside. When you open up they'll rabbit; you'd better wait."

"I want them running!" Rosarita snarled before opening fire, taking five of The Marines in the first few shots. The rest scrambled for defensive positions.

Rosarita barely needed a second to switch modes on her weapon before firing an explosive charge across the roof, blasting the sheltered marines. She fired twice more. Xander could see the survivors retreating back into the dubious safety of the burning building.

"That seemed too easy." Xander muttered, suddenly as clear as if it was an actual voice came a cry from his back-brain "Get Down!" he screamed as a hail of auto gunfire raked their position. The Marines were fighting back. "We're too close. They can still nail us from there."

"We are right where we need to be. They are too close to us." Rosarita said coldly, "Right about now their commander is realizing that the range of the Barrett keeps them in my sights for a full thousand meters in any direction."

"You want them to retreat to the streets. But the only thing close to the hotel district is...the warehouse district."

"Your Slayers combat instincts make getting close them virtually impossible. I'm not even going to try sneaking up on them. I'm going to overload those instincts."

Xander scanned the area below them. Disused warehouses spotted the district. Their dark and vacant corridors reminded Xander of only one thing. "Vampires, that area has got to be lousy with vampire nests "

"Once their inside, the Slayers won't sense us following them and if there really are blood suckers in there, you can be sure at least some of the Marines will blunder into them."

"Cute," Xander sighed bitterly, "Let them do the hard work of thinning out the ranks of the Marines."

Rosarita glanced at him wryly, "Unless you fancy taking on a fully armed and trained squad of Marines. This way they won't know who is hunting them until it is too late." She smiled coldly.

Xander watched from a protected spot as the marines predictably scrambled across the rooftops and disappeared downward. Finally he caught sight of the familiar farm fed physique of Riley Finn scrambling across a hastily set-up plank board. Xander watched as the man sheltered two of the fleeing grunts from the flying debris of the Maid's attacks. These would be the Slayers that Finn was assigned to handling.

"So Captain America," He muttered bitterly, "Still got a thing for Slayers do you? Guess bedding two of them wasn't enough for you."

Rosarita heard his whispered words and slapped him lightly. "Focus, this is war and war demands focus. Lose sight of that and you lose everything."

"What about you? Those pills you're swallowing cant be doing any favours for your sense of mental balance."

"Never you mind about my balance," The Maid snapped and pulled a bottle from her pack. She opened the bottle but only a single pill fell into her mouth. She shook the bottle helplessly and cursed in Spanish.

"What now?" Xander asked,

"Now we see what your magic plants can do." She pulled one of the Devil's roots from her pack carving off a slice with a combat knife. Her face screwed itself in a mask of bitter distaste as she slid the slice unto her mouth. She blinked and her eyes began to water. Xander backed away from her as her teeth clenched furiously and tremors began wracking her body as veins popped out all over her arms and face. Then just as quickly the tremors seemed to pass. Suddenly her lips curled into a grotesque smile her eyes dark with mad blood lust. "Much better." she hissed.

* * *

As the battle raged in the rooftops, Rock's car pulled up in the alleyway below. Shenhua and Sawyer were waiting for them. Beside them was a handsome blond who looked more like a rock and roll star then a mercenary. His fully loaded weapons belt looked more then a little out of place. Yet, it served as proof that this man was indeed one of the city's many professional trouble busters. His name was Rotton and Faith was amazed as the man glanced around the alleyway anxiously before turning to Shenhua. "The fire escape," He asked in a hushed tone that compelled attention, "if I made my entrance from there would I look ... Cool?"

Faith's mouth dropped open, Revy seemed ready to put a bullet into him which would have been ironic, since according to Shenhua and Sawyer she had shot him once already. Revy, whose ability to recall defeated foes seemed about as spotty as her ability to recall people's proper names dismissed the man as a posing gun toting gigolo.

Rock was ordered to remain with the car. Revy felt her skills would be hard pressed enough keeping Garcia alive in the firefight to come. Faith knew without being told that her job was to separate Xander from the Maid as soon as they made contact and then keep him alive.

The news that they would have to fight their way to and possibly through old allies annoyed Shenhua who snapped peevishly " What stupid Surfer Boy doing with Maid anyway I hope no one expecting me to hold back if he come at me."

"Xander is covering The Maid's tail." Faith supplied before looking balefully at the Shenhua, "As for carving yourself some ground round Harris, I'd advise against it I'm going to be the least of your worries if you lay a finger on the Xander's head."

"Southie talk big with big sword in her hands I wondering if you can back up big talk with big skill." Shenhua sneered,

"Don't worry about my skills. Worry about what Xander's other friends will do to this town if he gets hurt and Worry about what they'll do to you if I need to keep them from flaying me alive by ratting you out as the person that killed him."

"I remembering you talk about freaky skin ripping bitch." Shenhua muttered, Faith's stories of Willow and her sinister past had impressed Roanapur's jaded killers.

"Relax Chinglish," Revy sighed, "Xander's wired and wild but he isn't stupid. It's the Maid you need to worry about. Not only is she crazy as a loon but she is pissed."

"Make for more interesting hunt." Shenhua hissed with a gleeful smile.

"Whoa, hold on there sister." Revy reminded, "The Maid is the destination on this mission; not the target. We get the kid to her and he talks her down."

"Why do I suspect things aren't going to be nearly that simple?" Faith gripped,

Revy grinned wolfishly, "Cause you got two brain-cells to rub together."

"That having been said," Garcia stated quietly, "I want to thank you especially Ms. Faith, I apologize for my earlier suspicions. I assure you it was only my grief at my fathers death which lead me to be so mistrusting."

Shenhua seemed impressed by the diminutive gentlemen and immediately offered to take him home. Faith, who had in her time been the recipient of several second chances including one from Xander himself, wondered if it was karma coming back at her that she was now somewhat obligated to grant a second chance to someone else.

She sighed and stuck out her hand toward Garcia, "In truth little guy I've been suspicious of the Watchers Council a time or two myself and they had it coming in my books."

"Ahh ain't that sweet." Revy sneered " Are Southie and the Little Master kissing and making nice. Where's my camera I don't want to miss this Kodak moment."

Faith flipped her the finger, "No way I'm take'n crap from someone that got sucker punched, and then had her ass handed to her."

Shenhua looked up at this, "Who got punched, you mean loud mouth gun whore got ass kicked. By who?"

"By the very maid we are hunting today." Faith snickered, "I'd want to shake her hand for that alone."

The Taiwanese assassin laughed cruelly, "Shenhua liking this chick more and more. Crazy, skilled and she kick Revy's skank ass."

"Hey Chinglish," Revy smiled dangerously, "I'm right over here. Anytime you think you want to take your shot, I'm ready to rock and roll."

Shenhua smiled demurely, "Carving meat off your ass something I save for fun. Is time for work."

* * *

Xander was still keeping close the roof surface. He glanced worriedly at his partner in crime. Despite her consumption of the root fragment, she was more or less unchanged in appearance, but all the same there was something altogether more -- bestial about her. Her sudden twitchy glancing around while sniffing the air did not lessen that impression.

She responded to his unasked question, "Someone is coming."

"The Marines, how did they get over here without you spotting them."

"They did not. This is someone new. Cover the roof access I will prepare our departure." Rosarita slung the Barrett over her shoulder and started snapping together a long pole.

Xander scrambled over to the doorway and looked down the staircase. Coming up the stairs were masked soldiers who opened fire on him as soon as they saw him. Xander pulled out twined auto pistols. Rosarita had insisted he use some kind of weapon and his monocular vision made aiming something of an issue. She elected to get around that problem by arming him with weapons that did not require much if any aiming.

Xander sprayed gunfire down the narrow staircase cursing as he kept the soldiers at bay. He was running out of options but he refused to give up, refused to give in. He would get to the Slayers. He would find a way to talk Rosarita down off her Slayer-hate. "You hear me you bastards -- You tell Dylan Thomas, Xander Harris says hello "

"We're ready to leave." The Maid snapped and tossed him a brick-like object.

"Jesus," Xander whistled looking at the pound of Gelignite, in his hand." You sure that's enough explosive." He asked snidely,

"I purchased more then enough that I can afford to waste some, now set it and let's go."

Xander stuck the brick of gelatinous nitroglycerin to the door slamming it shut before joining Rosarita at the roof's edge. "You neglected to give me a detonator. As I recall that stuff doesn't explode without one."

"I neglect nothing, that is why I was the best." she unleashed the Barret Rifle, aiming at the door and putting a fifty caliber round through it. There was an answering roar as the nitro exploded, rocking the roof and sending the door rocketing into the sky.

"Who were those guys anyway?"

"My guess is the Cartel hired them to kill Me."

"Great," Xander groused, "The Cartel wants to kill you which means I guess they now want to kill me. Any other details you want to share. I mean those guys seemed a little disciplined for cartel thugs."

"That is because they are Colombian Revolutionaries." She was watching him so she saw the colour drain from his face at her words. "I see that you have heard of FARC."

"Are you kidding me," Xander cried out hysterically, "If even half of what I remember about the FARC is real, those guys are no joke. How in hell are we supposed to fight FARC troops and the Marines?"

"WE need not worry. The FARC will be concentrating on me. Assuming they even know about you I doubt they consider you little more then collateral damage or a target of opportunity. I am their primary target. The Marines still do not know whom they are facing. If I plan this right I can herd all our enemies together and let them kill each other."

"Oh that's just dandy. Any other good news, words of encouragement."

The Maid smiled evilly, "Sunset is approaching, soon the vampires in the warehouse will begin to stir. All being well there will be massive casualties on both sides."

Xander bleached, "How in hell are we supposed to survive a three front war with the Americans, your old comrades and Vampires tough enough to survive in Roanapur?"

"By being better then they are. Concentrate your thoughts on only one thing -- survival. Once you are focused on survival and victory then all else becomes subordinate to that goal."

Rosarita hefted the pole in her hands testing its weight; Xander looked at her actions and realized what her plan was. "No way, absolutely not. I'm not pole-vaulting over the damn rooftops. That is just stupid with a capital dumb-ass."

"Then stay if you wish. I'd be insulted if the FARC sent anything less then two squads to track me and everyone of them are skilled information retrievers just as I am "

Xander shook his head in resignation "I am in it so deep if I could breath through the top of my skull I'd still be in trouble."

He watched as The Maid dashed toward the roof edge and pole-vaulted perfectly. He sighed as he bent to pick up the pole that she tossed back toward him.

Xander dashed toward the roof edge jabbing the pole's end into the rooftop. The pole catapulted him skyward with a decidedly unmanly scream. He flew across the impossibly long distance between the two buildings. Instinct made him tuck and roll, managing to soften the crash when his body slammed into the rooftop.

* * *

The Group downstairs heard the roar of fire and sound that was the explosion from the rooftop. As they headed down the hallway, Revy caught sight of soldiers stationed down the hall.

The Gunslinger looked at Faith critically. The Slayer was fingering her sword anxiously, "You know for someone who walks around with a label like Slayer you don't seem that comfortable with killing." Revy muttered.

"Slayers are trained to kill monsters and demons. The things I kill normally go poof in the daylight." Faith looked at Revy, "Killing people doesn't actually give me the warm and fuzzies, At least not anymore."

Revy snorted dismissively, "You did good on the island. This is the same thing. These guys ain't nothing but obstacles. Think of them as billboards, old and rusty billboards."

"You know B and the others used to wring their hands over this kind of thing, hell so did I..."

"...And now?"

"...Now I'll be seriously pissed of I don't keep up with Shenhua when the final head count is tallied."

Shenhua smiled sweetly, "Now why Slayer sister be worried about that we already know you lose to Shenhua."

"You want to lay some cash on that?" Faith whispered before Revy cut off the chatter and called their attention back to the men down the hallway. She indicated by motion that she would lead the charge and the others would follow after.

Revy rounded the corner blazing away with her Cutlasses; her shots taking the first guard before he could even turn. Revy bent low allowing Shenhua to use her as a jumping off point for a graceful leap that allowed her to land in the midst of several of the guards. The Assassin viciously slashed with her razor sharp kukri blades cutting down two men at once.

Faith got up a good run, dodging past the hail of gunfire coming from the remaining guards firing in a blind panic as death steamrollered toward them. She evaded their shots by ramping off the wall of the hallway; landing beside two more solders slashing their lives away viciously.

More guards came down the hallway and Shenhua and Faith went up both sides killing as they went. Their blades a shimmering counterpoint of quick and vicious death that took no mercy and asked no quarter. When the hallway finally fell silent Faith cursed.

"What is it?" Revy asked,

"I'm Even Stevens." The Slayer snapped,

"Well Slayer Sister not bad for newbie." Shenhua teased, "Maybe in a few years you be good as Shenhua."

Revy looked at the small army they had just carved their way through, "Actually I'm wondering why they were coming at us."

"I'm thinking they were trying to kill us." Faith pointed out,

Revy poked the Slayer to get her attention. "They're supposed to be chasing The Maid and yet this was at least one squad of FARC's what's the deal?"

Faith at last realized what Revy was getting at, "You're right, this makes no sense. These guys are supposed to be storming the building. Why are they running out instead of running in? This isn't normal; not normal gives me the wiggins."

"**Maybe we should find ourselves a survivor.**" Sawyer suggested.

This proved difficult however owing to the heavy casualties the small force had inflicted.

Revy complained about Faith and Shenhua's tendencies toward near fatal decapitation. Faith snapped back that after a decade of killing vampires she was inclined to chop off the head out of habit.

Finally Sawyer found one man still breathing weakly and babbling in Spanish. Revy poked and prodded him back to awareness. Fabiola translated for her, promising the man aid and help if her told all he knew of the battle he had barely survived.

As he spoke Fabiola translated, "The Devil and her consort they attacked us unleashed hell on us. He was screaming curses -- Dylan Thomas says hello -- then they flew away. He keeps asking for some special medicine."

Revy ignored her as she said thoughtfully, "If their tracking the Gi-Joes then they'll be moving by rooftops to get close. The Dylan Thomas thing I don't get."

"Did your friend finish High School?" Rotton asked Faith quietly.

"Yeah, why?" Faith questioned,

Rotton sighed, "Its a poetic reference," When Faith looked at him blankly he struck a pose that for Faith was very familiar. "Dylan Thomas' most famous poem. -- Do not go gentle into that good night -- Your Friend is resigned to an inevitable outcome but seeks to fight against that outcome anyway."

Faith caught on to what the apparently poetic mercenary was getting at, "The Maid, Xander knows stopping her might be impossible but he's still trying anyway. Good boy, Harris, keep hitting her with the Xander-speak. Maybe that might buy us some time to get closer."

"How do you even know that." Revy asked Rotton

"I used to teach High School English." Rotton answered, "...I thought it would make me look cool."

"Are you certain his course of action can succeed?" Garcia asked worriedly,

Faith smiled confidently, "I've seen Xander do the impossible and survive I'm not counting him out just yet." The Slayer pointed at the wounded soldier, "What about him?"

"What about him? We clean up after ourselves when we make a mess in Roanapur Southie." Revy grinned as she chambered a round into one of her nine millimeter Barrettas. "Hey Beaner," She called to the weakened soldier, "You hurtin bad? Don't worry, I got something here that'll fix you right up."

Knowing what was coming Faith looked away and thus only heard the brutal double cough of Revy's Cutlass Special. Somehow only hearing it, made it worse.

Fabiola started arguing about the sanctity of life and Revy's appalling lust for blood and death. Faith had heard all her arguments before; years ago in fact as she stood in a lonely alleyway and Buffy had shook with righteous rage. Revy even sounded just like Faith had that night. Her voice was cold, dispassionate, unconcerned by a death either witnessed or inflicted.

According to Xander, Revy, Chang and everyone else she had met since coming here, death was the way of things in Roanapur. Xander had told her once. "Never forget what Roanapur is and why it is what it is."

Faith looked coldly at the body. This too she would learn to deal with, even this.


	6. Chapter 6

***

Boss Chang looked out the window of his apartment overlooking the city of Roanapur. Normally the view gave him comfort, a sense of being centered. Today however, he hated the view because right in the center of his sweeping view of the cityscape, Smoke could be seen rising from the hotel district and unless he missed his guess, the sounds of battle were moving. The war he had been dreading had come at last to the Roanapur.

This was normally the time he would be conferencing with Russian Mob Boss Balalaika. They would be discussing what to do and who to do it to. The problem was Balalaika was about to become part of the problem.

Before she had been a Mafioso, Balalaika had been a military and tactical genius. She had cut her teeth in the Afghan War against the fierce warlords who controlled the deserts and mountains of that region. When the Great Russian Bear had abandoned that backward slice of hell. Balalaika had eventually turned her considerable talents to crime and eventually to ruling her branch of the Mob including her section of this city. However, the old warrior within, the fighter and killer that had survived that hell of hot sand and death remained.

Word was, she was mobilizing her troops and Chang had little doubt that the Maid and the Americans would be her target. Hopefully the frustrating bitch was only planning a little display of force. If her goal was to open another front in the war, well maybe it was time to think about a retirement plan that involved a place less likely to be a smoking hole in the ground.

The Phone in the room interrupted his musings. He prayed it was good news but Chang had long ago learned that Gods did not often answer prayers. That was why people like him existed.

"Brother Chang," came the voice on the other end, "This is The General."

Chang smiled ruefully, when it rained it poured. " General Sheu how's life on the compound."

If there was an ugly side to being a triad boss then dealing with men like Sheu Yan was it. A brutal military commander in his heyday, he had left the People's Army because even brutal and repressive regimes like China had principles. They liked having warm bodies to rule when the shooting was done and Sheu had a nasty habit of denying them even that. Then he had discovered that listing people as casualties of combat that had not actually died gave him a ready supply of cheap labour that could be sold to Factory owners and Land Barons. Things had been fine until a few of his stingy customers had avoided their monthly government bribes and International Watchdogs had descended like circling hawks. To avoid ending up in prison or worse a work camp, someone had informed on him. That was the end of his military career and the beginning of his life with the Triads. They always needed men like Sheu and the General had come through for them. Now as his reward, he was allowed to sit on one of the many poppy plantations drilling his hired army and preparing for a day when he could revenge himself on all the people he blamed for his life's few problems.

"Never mind the compound," Sheu snapped, "Why am I hearing that you flushed my trafficking operation down the tubes."

"Excuse me?" Chang asked calmly.

"I've heard that the Taiwanese bitch you use for killing was seen busting up my trafficking operation are we having a problem that I was not aware of."

Chang counted off his reasons on his fingers, "One...You set up a slaving operation on my doorstep, Two...you didn't cut me in for a taste. Three...Someone came looking to take the thing down. I offered my support - end of story."

"You've been drinking that lighter fluid the Russians call liquor?" The General screamed, "Do you think the other Triad bosses are going to keep you safe from me if I come down there and make you pay for crossing me."

Chang looked out the window and watched as another explosive plume of flame confirmed that the maid's war was getting hotter. "General I can honestly say that with what I have on my plate right this second I couldn't give less of a crap what's pissing you off."

"You know I hear you've been getting soft." The General snarled dangerously, "The others don't talk openly about it but some are wondering why you make that Russian wench push you around."

"General, I'm going to tell you the same thing I tell the rest of The Triad. Anytime one of you wants to come here and deal with Balalaika, let me know so I can have a sponge ready to collect all the parts of you that are still identifiable as human."

"Where do you get off calling me out Chang? You're nothing but a dirty cop that got lucky enough not to get caught."

"...And you're a cowardly genocidal scumbag. I'd say of the two of us, heaven smiles brighter on me then you."

"I'm done pissing around with you Chang. I'm going to take the cost of my trafficking operation out of that indolent ass of yours."

"I'm touched you want to come all this way just for me.'

"Don't flatter yourself, one of my subordinates managed to preserve some of my stock so I'm coming down to personally supervise the transfer."

"Then you'll excuse me while go and brush my teeth. I'll want to look pretty for you." Chang hung up the phone. "Sometimes the day hands you a gimme." He smiled thoughtfully.

He had had his suspicions when Harris showed up looking for Slavers. The operation was too well financed and maintained to be the work of random leeches and lowlifes. If The General was running true to form it made sense that he had wanted a few Slayers. Chang didn't put too much thought into what Sheu wanted with mystically empowered women. He had enough thoughts that kept him up at night without adding Sheu's perverse diversions to that long list.

Regardless, this was good news. Sheu being behind the slaving of Slayer women made life easy indeed. The Watchers and the NSA could cut Sheu in two and each take a slice. The Grey Foxes would find it much easier to nail their target if he was in Roanapur. Once the General was gone, the Marines would leave which would leave Balalaika with no reason to make war. The Watchers would follow the Slayers or take their frustration out on the General. Either way that part of the problem would vanish as well. Of course he'd need a way of manipulating the situation. He reached for the phone again. No matter what else happened The Black Lagoon Crew had played their part. It was time for others to take the field.

* * *

The battle rolled through the warehouse district Xander was pounding through the hallways of the building they had chased the Americans to. He had seen Reilly several times but the man had not thus far seen him. Rosarita suddenly stopped and sniffed the air. "They are close," she said coldly.

"Well duh, I thought that was why we were running, to catch up with the main force."

"Not the Marines, The FARC, I can smell them"

Xander looked at her nervously, "Yeah that's getting just a little freaky maybe you should slow down on the root." he said, "I mean how sharp do you really need to be."

Rosarita glanced left and right, making some calculations in her head. "I am going ahead to deal with them you stay here. Count to one thousand. After that follow me, do you understand?"

"Whoa, that was not the deal. WE track the Marines and I ID the Slayers, you ask your questions. After that we decide where to go from there."

"I am altering the deal," The Maid snapped, "Pray I do not wish to alter it further."

Xander startled, "A Star Wars reference, from you? That I would not expect."

Rosarita looked at him mystified for a moment. Xander began humming a slightly out of tune rendition of The Darth Vader march. Rosarita's eye softened as she recognized the tune.

She allowed herself to quietly drown in the memories of a better time. "Young Master, a gentleman should not concern himself with such frivolous pursuits." she whispered to the memory of Garcia's excited eyes which were undaunted by her criticism.

"Come on Roberta," Garcia had insisted, "Watch it with me, it will be fun." Indeed it was fun. Oh not the movie itself with its surrealistic portrayal of war and conflict, ham-fisted acting and childish antics. Garcia thought the saber fighting had been cool. Roberta would not have been so mean as to laugh at his boyish enthusiasm but honestly, if all the--what had they been called...Jedi-- if they all fought as the old man and in the later movies, the farm boy had, it was small wonder their precious order had been wiped out. What had been fun were Garcia's delighted eyes, and the smile of Diego when he had come to join them later. Diego had then taken his young son to the library and got him several classic books and movies that the man Lucas had pilfered for ideas. The boy had devoured each with eager joy.

She found herself back in the hall her memories releasing her. She was not back at la hacienda. She was in Roanapur with the American Harris; he was looking at her as if she were mad. Considering she had come back to this filthy island, perhaps he was right.

Rosarita looked at the young Watcher. "You are brave and resourceful," She said gently, "two traits that serve you well. On the battlefield however, you lack one extremely important gift Senor Harris. You have little experience." She held up a hand to stem the vitriolic rant he was about to unleash at her words. "I have little doubt your conflicts with the supernatural are deadly in their own way but fighting men is a different thing altogether."

Xander sighed, "So what's the plan then?"

"I will deal with the FARC up ahead. They are flanking us in order to avoid the brunt of my attacks and The Marines response. You count to one thousand and then follow after. You should rendezvous with me well before I reach the Marines. We will deal with them and your Slayers."

"If you open up on the FARC, You'll alert the Marines. They'll know your still tracking them, assuming they don't already know. What if something goes wrong?"

Rosarita looked at him balefully, "Do not waste the precious little good will you have garnered with me thus far by asking me questions to which you already know the answers. Honestly, You have yet to satisfy my curiosity Harris, why you and why this cause. Why concern yourself with this sort of thing."

Xander sighed "Cause it's the right thing to do. Nobody should be in enslaved and people shouldn't be used to fight other peoples wars."

Rosarita sneered, "I know of at least six agencies that deal with international slave trading. Can you name even one?" She waited through Xander's silence. "It is not the crime which concerns you as much as the victims, these Slayers."

"OK fine, I hate seeing Slayers abused --big deal."

"How many times did you look at those scenes of torture before you told of your discovery and began your crusade? How many times did you look at it?"

"Thirty-three and that was only the amount I counted after I started keeping track."

"Who's face were you seeing, not some random girl being beaten and abused. You don't strike me as the type to get inflamed by such sights. Who's face were you really seeing?"

"Buffy Goddammit," Xander yelled, "Its always her, her face, her body. I always see her. Every time I find a Slayer or rescue them, counsel them, coach them, it's always been about Buffy. " He lashed out at a nearby wall futilely, "Every one wonders why I couldn't stay around Slayer Island with the slaves after I helped them. How could I? Every time I look at them all, the only thing I see is Buffy. Men have done nothing but screw with those girls. Seeing them as property and less then property. It's must be some weird cosmic joke. Of all the people that could have found and rescued them these girls got stuck with the loser with a Slayer Fetish. The guy who's every major fantasy revolves around slayers and especially Buffy."

"So you fight for this Buffy, you made her cause your own."

"What was I supposed to do? Once I knew what was out there in the dark I couldn't ignore it anymore, couldn't turn aside. I saw her every day fighting things that in any sane world would not exist and she was doing it because of some random fluke of fate. She fought for me and died for me, twice. What was I supposed to do when the chance came to somehow repay that debt? When I'm around Buffy and the others I feel like a worthwhile human being. You want a drug that's addictive, never mind cocaine or heroin -- find a reason to believe in yourself after thinking that you were destined to be a loser for the rest of your life. I'll guarantee you won't be able to give that feeling up. You'll crave it, you'll do anything for it." He looked steadily into Rosarita's eyes, "Even travel half way around the world and face off against one of the most dangerous women on the planet,"

Rosarita looked at this man before her, His eyes, so bright they were shining. Just like the fiery eyes of a sickly young girl who had believed so much in the dreams of a better tomorrow she had remade herself. For a wild moment, she entertained a fantasy. Was this Santa Maria's doing? Was she meant to drive this young man away from the dark path she had walked so long ago or was she meant to drag him down it into darkness. Remaking him into another Bloodhound, one trained and driven to stalk the shadows. Something was already there behind his eyes. A pale shadow of her ruthlessness to be sure, but it was there. One nudge, one little push was all it would take. For this Buffy, he would stalk, kill, and worry his prey leaving its mangled corpse at her feet.

"I would tell you to go home but I doubt you would listen so wait here for me. Count to a thousand and then follow.... I will wait for you to rendezvous with me. We will deal with the Marines and the Slayers together. If they were as innocent as you claim, I will allow you to take them from this place. That is all I can or will promise."

She turned on her heel to go "I hope she is worth it Senor Harris, this Buffy, I hope that she is worth what you have endured, what you are becoming in her name."

"That's the secret to the amazing Bloodhound isn't it? You believe so much in the Old man that you can do anything in his name."

"Master Diego is dead, but his child, Garcia, yes for him I could do anything, will do anything."

* * *

A squad of FARC was waiting for Faith and the others when they moved to the next building to which Xander and the Maid had fled. This squad was far more eager for a fight then the last. They even managed to mount a crude pincer action so the group soon found themselves in crossfire.

"This Sucks, this really fuckin sucks!" Revy screamed in frustration as she gunned down an unwary trooper who had strayed from cover.

Rotton gunned down two more, "These foes are like mad dogs they must be put down in like fashion."

Faith dodged an incoming bullet, "I think we're the ones getting our noses rubbed in it." she screamed,

"I thinking we not ask for enough money," Shenhua snapped as she hurled a throwing blade at still another trooper who had tried rushing their position.

Faith looked at her blades and then the many metal pipes running the length of the hallway. "Mind if I borrow one of these?" She cried out quickly, slipping a blade from out of the sheath strapped to the assassin's leg.

Stepping out from cover, Faith hurled the blade as hard as her slayer strength allowed. The blade slammed into a pipe hanging over top of several of the fighters. The pipe spewed boiling hot steam, filling the hallway and causing some of the men to scream in agony at being cooked by the heat.

Several of the men broke from cover charging blindly down the hallway trying to escape the heat, Fabiola scrambled from her post by Garcia's side, leaping into the air to slam both feet into a charging soldier's chest, knocking him backward. As she landed on the floor, she swirled her legs around to trip two more men who fell to her follow up gunfire.

One of the FARC's screamed a curse at the mini-maid in Spanish. He was leveling his pistol to cut her down with he was cut down by a no-look shot from Rotton. "To assault such beauty deserves no mercy." he said poetically as he swirled his gun around to cut down a few more soldiers.

"What do ya know?" Revy cackled, "the Gigolo has some skills," She gunned down foes left and right. Some she rarely even glanced at before firing the kill shot that took their lives.

"Young Master, you must flee." Fabiola cried out. "I can't protect you properly with things as they are." She fired a volley of gunfire down the hallway. She followed the gunfire with a well places grenade round to keep the other side cowering in fear.

Garcia nodded, "I'll meet you up ahead, I'll try and find Roberta." he took a last look at his maid before fleeing up the hallway.

Rotton caught sight of one of the men getting too close to Sawyer and crying out a warning, charged the man to bravely body-check him. Shenhua kicked the man in the head hard enough that there was a grotesque snap as the man slumped to the floor like a lifeless puppet. She knelt at Rotton's side focusing on getting the man back to his feet and did not see the soldier coming in from behind, Sawyer however did.

She stepped in front of the charging man blocking his shots with the spinning blade of her chainsaw. With a grim smile, The Cleaner rammed the blade into the man's body hauling the screaming soldier into the air. She began advancing down the hallway with her improvised shield. The soldier's body shaking as it absorbed shots from panicked soldiers. Revy and Rotton sheltered behind Sawyer and her meat puppet shield. Fabiola followed their lead firing grenades into their lines. Then they peppered the enemy lines with hyper-accurate gunfire. The troopers will to fight was being broken one death at a time.

Rotton pointed out they had almost disposed of the squad. Bodies littered the hallway. Revy noticed a least one of them was struggling back to his feet.

"Fucking Survivors I hate Survivors." Revy cursed.

"First you bitch cause we kill everyone now your bitching cause we don't." Faith snapped.

Revy advanced on the wounded trooper, preparing to shot him as she had the other. "I wanted something out of the other guy. We know everything we need to about these assholes. "

The soldier dug into his pocket and pulled from it a vial which he put to his lips, ingesting its contents. Seconds later he began screaming. Rising from the floor he pulled two knives and began racing up the hallway toward the combatants ignoring all their gunshots and some of Shenhua's throwing blades.

"I've got this!" Shenhua snapped and met him with kukri blades swirling. She cut him in a dozen spots and stabbed him a dozen more and he still attacked with incredible speed. After they had dueled for what seemed like hours but was only a few seconds, the screaming trooper, flailing wildly, managed to grab Shenhua and hurled her bodily away from him. Rotton reached out and snagged her from the air. "Angels should always have wings if they are planning to fly" He said as he set her gracefully on the ground.

Faith stepped out to face the still screaming soldier. "My turn," she began trading blows and strikes both with hand and blade with the man and once again his speed with incredible for a human. Yet Faith's slayer-sense picked up nothing unusual about him. This was not a demon in disguise or half-ling using inherited powers; this was a man who had remade himself; becoming more then human somehow. His red eyes and bulging veins were a testament enough of that.

Faith stabbed at him with her sword but he kept coming. She cut him across the chest and even slashed at his legs but he kept coming. Finally annoyed and riding on her own fully cranked open adrenaline rush, she rammed the full length of the Ginji's Manslayer into the man's chest. The enraged man grabbed for Faith so she snagged his arms as he flailed at her. Faith wrenched hard and felt the bones in his arms snap and dislocate. Grabbing the man, she began punching him with increasing ferocity, mentally counting off her blows. She was at twenty when she felt his rib cage shatter, thirty-five when his organs gave way to the force of her blows and she had counted forty-five when she felt her fist snapping the man's spinal column. His body was doubled over by the force of her blows and yet still the man screamed and cursed them in both English and Spanish.

Faith snatched her sword back from his chest and let him collapse to the floor where he still flailed helplessly. Faith jammed her foot down on his back and lashed out with her sword taking off his head with a single blow finally silencing his screams.

"Now that was fucked up," Revy said "Nice work Southie," Revy handed Faith one of her cigarettes.

The Slayer was about to tell the Gunslinger that she didn't normally smoke, suddenly the aching need to quiet the raging adrenalin storm made her draw the acrid tasting smoke into her lungs.

"I may not be the sharpest knife in the drawer," Faith muttered as she exhaled smoke, " But even I know that was not normal."

"**Perhaps this might be a clue**." Sawyer in the strange monotone forced upon her by the ultra-voice she wore so she could speak. She was holding up the vial the man had consumed before his rampage.

"What is it?" Faith asked curiously,

"**I haven't a clue but I'm thinking one of those gentlemen might know.**" she pointed down the hallway at the crowd of bodies they had left strewn in the hallway. Indeed one of them was weakly climbing back to his feet fumbling for something in his pocket. Revy kicked his hand away from his pocket and reached in to remove the vial that was secreted there.

"What's this?" she snapped

The man cursed her in Spanish while trying to snatch back the vial as Revy dangled it in front of him. "Hey, Ms. Maid get your ass over here and tell Sparky what the score is."

Fabiola spoke with the man who turned his curses upon her and even at one point spit at her.

"He said..." Fabiola started but Revy cut her off.

"I know what he said, some things don't need fucking translation. Hey Sawyer can you do something here, we are kind of in a hurry."

"**Only one way to know for sure**." Sawyer shrugged as she dragged the soldier over to a wall. "**Zip ties,**" She held out her hand.

Rotten plunged his hands into his voluminous coat pockets producing several of the hard plastic ties.

Faith looked at him quizzically, "You just carry restraints around in your pockets?"

"I believe in being prepared." Rotten said simply.

Sawyer tied the man's hands and feet to the pipes. Once he was spread eagle across the wall Sawyer Motioned to Fabiola saying to her, "**Translate please.**"

"What do you want me to say?"

"**Tell him if he tells us what we want to know I'll leave his face intact.**"

Fabiola spoke with him rapidly; he cursed her again. He was however looking at Sawyer nervously.

The Mini-Maid was frustrated, "He still doesn't wish to talk. Are you sure this will work?"

"**I very good at my work." **Sawyer motioned to Faith who nodded grimly and pulled one of the steam pipes from the wall. Donning gloves Sawyer grabbed the pipe and began directing the super hot steam at various parts of the man He began screaming.

"He's a screamer" Faith muttered, "Guess we're going to be here a while."

Sawyer redirected the steam so that it was hitting the man very strategically. He began crying and wailing. "**I doubt it, criers don't usually last as long as screamers.**"

***


	7. Chapter 7

Corrado was proud of being FARC.

There was no other way of saying it. He was proud of fighting for a cause, fighting for a better tomorrow. He was like many in the ranks. He'd come from a poor farming village with even poorer parents. He had no illusions about what life held for people like him. He could work the fields harvesting meager crops, picking coca leaves for the cartels, or join one of the many private armies that dotted the Colombian region. That last option included working with the local police. They were little more then thugs paid to protect the wealthy and their interests.

Then one day, during a trip to the market to sell the monthly harvest, Corrado had been nearby when an explosion had ripped though a police van taking the men inside with it. He had jumped into his father's truck and goosed the engine into life. He was traveling out of town when he was stopped by more local authorities. He was certain these were more paid thugs but right that moment they were playing their role of officers of the law. They asked questions. Then he had been shocked when they had pulled the tarp in the back aside and asked about the three young men in the back of his truck. Thinking quickly, Corrado sighed, admitting he was taking migrant workers back to his farm. They would, he hoped be willing to work for three squares and the possibility of being married off to some ones daughter.

The officers had laughed and sent him on his way. Of course the men had been FARC the bomb had been punishment they said for the local police harassing innocent villagers. Corrado had delivered them to the place they indicated leaving him with an invitation to a place where like minded men and women gathered to talk. First it was a few late night discussions. Then he started attending the occasional rally. All too soon, the young farm boy was accepting an invitation to join the Revolutionary Forces formally.

That had been a little over a year ago. A year of brutal training and drilling at the hands of almost sadistic task masters like Alberto. Almost every day they had been taught about the legendary Bloodhound. However fast you broke apart and assembled a rifle she had done it faster. Whatever score you posted on the assault courses and targeting ranges, she had done it better. The Bloodhound was used as a whip to drive the young recruits forward. Fight better run faster, jump higher be stronger. All these brutal daily training regimens and in the end Corrado knew, all the young recruits knew, they would never be as good as the legend was reputed to be. They had learned to both revere and hate this woman. Now here he was trying to hunt her down.

Corrado had heard the other stories about the strange things you saw here and there. He didn't believe in vampires and demons. The human monster was more then capable of bedeviling mankind without adding the tortures inflicted by an uncaring universe. Like many he thought this Alexander Harris was mad, or else some kind of liar. There couldn't be such a thing as vampires and demons, there just couldn't be. Still he had read the stories attached to the man Harris. He thought himself prepared for any surprise the American might have for him but he was completely unprepared for finding the boy crouched on a hallway loudly counting to himself.

Xander was at five hundred when he heard the solder moving through the hallway.  
He quieted his loud counting and moved himself further up the hallways trying to avoid conflict if he could. "If I wanted to avoid conflict I shouldn't be running around with an elite assassin and terrorist with a price on her head so high the mob is willing to finance a freaking army to waste her." Xander thought to himself.

Xander reached a door and twisted the knob. The door opened. He saw dark shadows beyond. "Certain doom versus possible doom," He muttered. He was about to head into the shadows, when light from the hallways illuminated the dark figures within. Lying about the floor in various positions of rest were a dozen or so undead. Xander silently swore to himself. The crazy maid had not been kidding. The place was crawling with vamps and they would be waking soon. He backed out the door. And right into the FARC trooper who had been gliding up behind him.

"So there really is such a thing as blood sucking devils." Corrado whispered as he jabbed his knife into Xander's back.

Xander spun in place and threw his fist out. Corrado bobbed and launched a perfect right cross. Xander staggered backward and the trooper grabbed him and swung his body around hurling him at a far wall and punching him twice in the face in stomach.

Xander swore as he coughed air back into his lungs. "Just my luck all the soldiers in all the world and I get the UFC wannbe."

The Soldier stopped and looked at Xander smiling. "UFC, Spider Silvia number one!" He stepped back and assumed a fighting stance. Obviously he had seen a few octagon matches and read Xander's familiarity with UFC as invitation for a proper match.

"Oh that's just great." Xander sighed "Why does the universe hate me?"

Xander went into his best fighting stance. Corrado lashed out his foot in a kick that Xander managed to block. He also blocked the head shot but caught the body blow. The force of the blow thrust him back against the wall. He dodged out of the way of the next blow. Corrado's fist made a dull gonging sound when it crashed into the wall. Xander came in hurling body blow punches trying to take advantage of the situation; but he made the mistake of getting too close to the man who elbowed him hard in the side of the head. Xander staggered out of the way of the man's kick. Xander punched at his kneecap. The man grunted in pain as he was staggered by the blow. Xander thought he saw his chance not seeing Corrado grab at the knife he had slipped into his belt. Xander's shot at the trooper's head glanced off the man's skull. Corrado snarled turning slashing at Xander's body. The knife plunged deep into Xander's stomach and he gasped weakly realizing that he could feel the blade tearing at his deep innards.

He collapsed on the ground holding his belly. He could feel the tear in his stomach. He grunted weakly rolling on the ground waiting for the world to go dark. He could feel his heart beat. The strong rhythm was booming in his ears, louder and louder. Was this death? Did every sound become super loud at the end and wasn't his heart supposed to be slowing down. The thundering beat was getting faster. Xander could feel an almost unbearable itching. Xander looked down at the knife still sticking out of the gash in his guts. However, the blade had not just pierced his body; it had also rammed its way through the Devil's Root he was keeping in the pocket of his hooded sweater. He drew his hand away from the deep wound in his stomach and saw his hands not just covered in blood but a thick sticky liquid. The juice from the Devil's Root was seeping into the wound. Drawing the pierced root from his pocket, he looked at the plant then recklessly shoved the thing into his mouth; biting down and tasting the acrid juice flowing down his throat. Xander grimaced in pain forcing himself to swallow the chunk of plant in his mouth. He bit viciously into the plant again, sucking more of the foul tasting root.

Xander felt his insides starting to churn and hot lava flowing through his veins. This was not death. He was sure of that now this was something else, something that felt worse then death. Finally unable to bare the insane itching or the hot pain Xander screamed loudly. The trooper walked over to the man he thought was dying only moments before.

He reached down to pick up his discarded knife and marched over to the writhing boy and prepared to stab him again. The blade swept downward, however this time Xander's fist was there gripping his arm in an iron hold. The man kicked out at the arm holding him punching at it but Xander's grip would not break, in fact it began to get tighter.

Xander rose from the ground and punched the trooper hard sending him rocking backward. Xander began pummeling the man holding onto him with frenzied strength. Corrado's knife and fist were crushed relentlessly by Xander's now freakish power. The FARC trooper's hand and arm started going numb. The Trooper reached out trying to gouge at Xander's eye but the boy swept the man's feet out from under him with a swift kick. Xander watched fascinated as Corrado's body seemed to rotate in slow motion in the air. It was like one of his John Woo movies brought to life. Some part of him knew this was the Devil's Root. The arcane power within was forcing his mind to process information more quickly; so quickly in fact that the world had slowed to a crawl.

Xander rammed his fist into Corrado. The boy's body smashed brutally backward into a wall. Xander pummeled him; his drug-addled sense caused a bestial scream of rage and pain to echo though the hallways.

The Trooper shoved Xander backward. He jumped up, coming at Xander again, cursing as he threw punches left and right. Xander caught or deflected each blow. Corrado's movements had become slow and watching him fight was like watching a man swinging a fist underwater. The knife in his hand was sweeping around in a wide arc. Its course was Xander's throat and Xander thoughtlessly caught the attack; breaking Corrado's hand with a vicious snap. The knife flipped out of the desperate trooper's mangled hand glittering dangerously as it swirled through the air. Xander caught the arcing blade and rammed it back into Corrado's neck. The boy's eyes rolled lifelessly back in his head and the poor and foolish farm boy sagged back against the wall.

Xander stumbled backward; his heartbeat still screaming in his chest. "Oh God, I am dying." He muttered breathlessly to himself.

"Well duh," a familiar voice sarcastically snapped. Xander glanced around and saw Spike leaning incongruously against the wall smoking. "Didn't Red warn you about what might happen if you actually ate the stuff raw? I mean it's partially magic and it grows in prime drug field land."

"I'm OD'ing" Xander asked weakly.

"Your first clue might have been the fact I'm standing here talking to you."

"Why you; Why not Angel?"

"I guess because I piss you off more which means you won't ignore me."

"So what, I'm dying and I have to spend my last moment listening to William the Bloody awful poet?"

"Perfect time I think you are a captive audience I think I have something about the creeping claw of death in here." Spike began searching his coat pockets.

"Hate to be a bitch but could we get back to the whole Xander dying thing I'd like to avoid that."

Spike puffed out smoke in annoyance. "Well genius," The Vampire snapped, "if what's killing you is the stuff you ate; the solution to the problem seems straight forward enough." Spike reached down and grabbed his head and faced him toward the body of the trooper splayed on the wall. "Look at it tough boy, Look at him he's dead now because of you that's no vampire or demon or monster that is a real human being. That life was snuffed out because you had to live you had to defend a killer and murderer. You know once you're dead that crazy Bitch will find Buffy and the others. She'll kill them all and you saw she has the stones and the skills to do it too. Buffy Red, All of them will look like this except maybe nicer because this was your work you did this look at it that's death Harris ugly horrible death you made it happen how does that make you feel."

Xander screamed and puked his guts out on the floor. When he finished heaving his guts out he fell to the ground weak as a kitten. "Thanks, I think." he said to the phantom Spike.

"No problem mate, now that you've purged, all you need to worry about is riding out the rest of the high. Relax it will be fun."

"This must be some new version of fun I was not previously aware of." Xander looked at the body again and found his eyes drawn to a small vial in the dead trooper's pocket. "What the hell is that?"

"Mate I wouldn't go eating or drinking anything else you don't know. I mean what do you think this is; Alice in freaking Wonderland."

Xander dipped a finger into the vial and tasted a small amount. The flavor was familiar if not a tad on the bland side.

"I'd love to stay and watch you work this mystery but you have company." Spike muttered and Xander indeed heard voices coming closer. Quickly he stuffed the small container in his pocket and headed away as fast as his still addled senses allowed.

"You might want to hide somewhere safe."

"Safe, in a vampire infested warehouse that has Killer Maids, marines and Revolutionaries running around inside."

"Don't be such a whine-ass Harris. This will be your chance to do the whole Dream Walking thing. I mean all the best dream walkers usually do it while high on something, why not you?"

"Sounds like fun how does it work?"

"Well walking would be a good place to start."

"You always were such a drama-bitch you know that?"

"If I didn't know that was the drug talking Harris, I'd kick your ass. Drug induced hallucination or no."

* * *

Garcia slipped through the dark hallways. (Unaware that he passed within a few feet of Xander puking his guts out)

The small boy was trying to be brave but even his courage was being tested in this place. Men and women, including those he traveled with and depended on living in a land of violence and doing the dance of death with their lives and the lives of those around them. He heard a rustling and thought it might be a yet another soldier on his way to join the battle from which he had fled.

Thinking quickly, he opened a random door and slipped inside hoping that he would go unnoticed. The rustling faded and the young boy breathed a sigh of relief. That was when his ears picked up a rustling much closer to him. He quieted himself and allowed his eyes to adjust to the gloom. The place was filled with sleeping people. They were lying randomly about the place. Garcia wondered at first if they were homeless. Then he looked closer their complexions were pale and underfed looking. Garcia looked at a young girl who looked to be almost his age. As he looked at her closely, her eyes suddenly snapped open revealing their unnatural yellowish colour. Her mouth opened in a yawn and Garcia could see the fangs in her mouth. Vampires, the floor of the room were covered in sleeping vampires. Garcia stumbled backward as the young girl quieted and her eyes closed. She was only shifting around in her unnatural day sleep. Fighting down a rising tide of panic, Garcia backed quietly away from the sleeping vampire and eased himself out of the door.

Back in the hallway, Garcia moved quietly now. He nervously realized that the warehouse was not just filled with enemy soldiers it was infested with vampires. Coming around a corner, Garcia saw still more bodies for a moment, he feared he might have stumbled across still more vampires. Then he realized the bodies were indeed dead, he wondered if the vampires had killed these men. However, these bodies had not been drained of blood.

FARC soldiers by the look of them. The method of their death was as efficient as it was brutal. Garcia had little doubt that these men had met Roberta. Trails of blood lead off around the corner. For whatever reason, Roberta had taken one of the men with her after she had disposed of these others.

Then he saw something that drew his eyes. Its desiccated appearance indicated someone had been chewing and gnawing on it. Reaching into his pocket, Garcia pulled out the photo he had been given of the Devils Root and compared the two. It seemed Roberta was cutting slices from the main plant and sucking on them. Garcia had been worried about Roberta's use of anti-psychotics but somehow this new development worried him more. The condition of the bodies in the hallway betrayed the truth; Roberta was slowing falling to the seductive lure of her alter ego. Slowly but surely The Bloodhound and her vicious brand of retribution was replacing the sweet and kind maid he had known.

A dark part of him sneered at his thought. Roberta was a fantasy it said. An artifact of Father's misplaced trust and Rosarita's well deserved guilt. The maid you knew had never existed outside of your childish dreams of a happy home. Had she not labeled herself as a hunting dog, relentless and fearsome? Had Roberta with her own mouth confessed to killing many innocents including children as young as you are now? Garcia snapped angrily at that dark seed of doubt. Father had believed in Roberta taken her into his home knowing what she was and what she had done and he had made her a part of the family.

Roberta was like a kind of replacement for the Mother he barely recalled. She was devoted and had always encouraged his tendencies to be kind and polite. Killers and monsters do not do that kind of thing. Whatever Roberta was or was capable of, there was something within her that reached toward the light with the same passion that had driven her to embrace and indulge her dark skills.

Making another turn down the endless maze of hallways, Garcia saw another group of bodies. The trail of blood he had followed stopped at a body that was lying face down. Garcia's young mind was too sharp not to fill in the blanks and reconstruct the events that made this scene. Roberta had guessed that the hallway he was standing in would be too long to allow her to get to the men standing at its end without them raising some kind of alarm. Garcia could almost picture it as Roberta took the body of the dead soldier, making it into a crude puppet. With this she had walked down the hallway unmolested by the guards at its end until she was close enough that they could do nothing to save themselves.

There was sounds of fighting up ahead and Garcia hurried along praying, no, knowing that Roberta would continue to triumph. She was strong she would overcome anyone. IT seemed fate was eager to taunt him. The sounds of fighting suddenly ended and a soft voice could be heard.

"The fight is over Rosarita, you are captured."


	8. Chapter 8

* * *

***

Garcia slipped closer. Surely the voice was lying. Roberta was strong she couldn't be captured, and yet he heard no answering sounds that would foretell of her escape. This man whoever he was had truly managed to detain his beloved Roberta. Who was this man that he could do this?

"You are wondering perhaps why you are still alive Rosarita, perhaps even who I am, yes."

There was an answering grunt and Garcia could hear the man's taunting laughter. Obviously Roberta was still trying to escape but could not overcome this other person's power.

"The unit patch, maybe you recall that? It is the insignia of ..."

"Special Forces, Havana." Roberta snapped,

"Very good, my name is Alberto. Normally I am only a drill instructor but Commander Maruranda asked for personal favour."

Garcia shuddered His sheltered life had not shielded him so much that he did not know he name of one of Castro's finest and most brilliant tactician.

The voice continued, "The Commander was most ...annoyed when you left our ranks. The others wanted you dealt with years ago but he would resist. You were like a daughter to him."

"Is that why he spent God knows how many hours turning me into a monster?" Roberta was saying,

"And what a monster," Alberto said with genuine awe in his voice. "I told my men you were the only one the higher-ups thought could replace The Jackal when they finally caught up with him. I warned them about you and still you got the drop on a full squad of them I'll have to teach their replacements to be more careful."

"So what happens now?"

"I can count as well as you Rosarita; you've killed all but one of the men I stationed here to wait for you. That means the American is running into one of my corporals about now. He is nowhere near your skill level but he should be able to deal with Harris."

There was more grunting and struggling and Alberto's soft laughter. Garcia quietly picked up a crow bar discarded on the floor. He would have to wait for the right chance or Roberta would be killed by the stranger.

"Rosarita why are you being like this The American is nothing. He isn't one of us. You know his friends have made enemies, many enemies who are powerful who are willing to help us break with the cartels."

"You no longer serve the cartels?"

"I know that was why you left the last time. Oh we still accept a task or two like the order to come here and find you. However, they did not know we had other agendas. Our benefactors have come to know of you Rosarita, and they are willing to help you escape your dull life in the country. OR did you think being a house maid would wash the stench of blood and smoke from your soul?"

Garcia anxiously awaited her answer, "Yes, it was a boring place." Roberta said as if the long simmering thought had only just bubbled back to the surface. "Perhaps, perhaps the master's death and seeking vengeance for it was just an excuse to leave."

"Do you think none of us know the temptation of living normal lives? But we are beyond them Rosarita you more so then most. That was why they wanted you."

"Still I have a mission to complete. When that is over, maybe..."

"Fine, we are supposed to deal with the Marines anyway."

"I doubt Havana will be happy, they like to avoid stirring up the Americans if they can. You're telling me they will overlook my actions against them."

"Many in Havana want you gone; you are an embarrassment that they do not like having rubbed in their faces. But as I said we serve new masters with greater power and they see a place for you among us again."

Garcia heard Roberta's voice again, "Then I guess I need to get on their good side ... and yours." she said with deep and husky honey in her words.

"Don't start Rosa, The Marines are more important."

"The Marines think I'm walking into their trap. In fact, they are walking into mine."

"The Vampires, you are using them to thin the marines ranks."

"Very good, so you see we have plenty of time and all this blood and death, I had forgotten how exciting it can be."

"You can't trick me Rosa,"

"Trick you, if I wanted to trick you I would just betray you after the Marines were in the ground Or I could wait until I met your mysterious benefactors why would I waste a perfectly good opportunity to get more cannon fodder for my war. "

"You are an evil woman,"

"...Which obviously excites you; or is that still another concealed weapon you have pressed against me? It feels ... most impressive."

"Is this how you got the American to fight for you?"

"He is American, assuming that he isn't gay, I don't have enough silicon in my breasts or air in my head to keep his interest that way."

"What about the old man, surely ...all those years...at least once?"

"He was old I doubt he would have known what to do assuming he even remembered how."

"Small wonder you are so eager for it now. Alright Rosa, let us see how trustworthy you really are."

Garcia saw them lean closer he ducked back behind the boxes and so only heard the moaning and wet sounds that come from between the two of them for what seemed like hours but was only a few seconds. Memorable seconds to judge by Alberto's reaction when he came up for air.

"My God if that old fool could have you at his beck and call and not at least take a taste ... are you sure he wasn't..."

"Then I can take it as a compliment that you are obviously smarter then he is..." Roberta paused "You've pressed the wrong weapon against me again, Alberto are you being careful again?"

"Very careful Rosa, very careful indeed."

"Perhaps another sign of my...good will. Let me get some of these clothes out of the way."

"Move slowly,"

"Of course I would be disappointed if you missed the best part. I'll start with my pants."

Garcia heard the unmistakable sound of a belt buckle being opened. So this was the real Roberta, a wanton and a killer. Apparently lust for blood and war fed her lusts for everything else. Suddenly there a roar, the sound of a weapon going off. Garcia chilled, had he waited too long. Had the man suddenly come to his senses and shot Roberta. He could hear the man cursing Roberta angrily. Then he heard Roberta's a low cold laughter.

"Oh yes more careful, you should have been so much more careful."

"A buckle-gun." Alberto screamed. He had obviously been the one shot.

"I bought it to please the boy. You should have seen him. I told Harris that only a fool would let someone get close enough to make such an extravagance useful."

There was a sound of struggling followed by the sound of bones breaking.

"That was my hand you bitch."

"Actually to judge by the sound it was only a few bones in your hand but not to worry I'll get to rest soon enough. Now what is this vial?"

"You think I'll tell you anything"

"I think you are a weak man and weak men always give me what I want."

"My man the one who killed your gringo demon hunter, he'll be here soon and then you are dead, you hear me, dead."

"Your man should have been here about two minutes ago. I'd say that he failed to kill Harris as I knew he would when you told me."

"You think that feeble boy can take one of my best men and survive."

"Yes I do. Because you see little man, like me Harris is driven by something stronger then you. As long as the ones he loves are in danger, he will do whatever he has to survive."

"Love, are you insane?"

"I know you would not grasp that. You see that was why I would never ally with you. You serve those false gods called Principle and Ideals. I no longer am that foolish. Now the only person I serve is my master whom I love."

"The old man, he's dead --his cause is dead."

"No, I mean my real master Garcia Fernando Lovelace. For that boy I would storm heavens gate and cut the heart from the devil himself. I will fight for him kill for him die for him and if something as insignificant as you stands between me and what I must do to protect him then I will destroy you and every one who stands behind you including your so called benefactors."

"You think you can defeat them. They will cut you down like the mad dog you are. Then they'll come for that rich brat."

Roberta screamed in anger and Garcia head the sound of combat. He came around the corner prepared to defend his beloved Maid (May Father forgive me for ever doubting her). Roberta was poised over the man she had defeated her clenched fist raising and falling like a deadly machine. Garcia could see, could almost feel the power in each blow. It was not enough for her to kill him she seemed intent on destroying him tearing him apart and leaving him little more then an unrecognizable carcass.

Garcia watched the hungry smile that bisected her face. She wore the gleeful joyous smile, the smile of a predator glorying in the heat of her kill. Garcia cried out repeating her name over and over screaming it trying in vain to bring his beloved gentle maid back to him. It was for naught, the heat and madness were so much a part of her that Alberto was little more then tenderized meat when she finally looked up and saw him. Roberta saw the fear in his eyes, the terror that she recognized from the day that his father had died. She had vowed to bring death to all those responsible for putting that look on his face. Now here it was again, directed at her at what she was doing.

She looked at him with growing anxiety, "Young Master, What… Why are you here?" He was still looking at her and Roberta looked down at herself. She was covered in Alberto's blood and other less identifiable things that had once belonged to the now dead man. "Please, Young Master, please don't look at me." But his terror filled eyes would not look away. "DON'T LOOK AT ME!" Roberta screamed.

There was a single chilling moment when The Maid realized if he was standing there he might have seen and heard everything that had just transpired between her and Alberto.

Then she watched as the young boy dropped to the ground in a swoon. Roberta approached him wringing her hands. How could her beloved Young Master be here in Roanapur? Why would he be here? How could she have let him witness her in an act as brutal and horrifying as the murder of another? Could there be any forgiveness for this act. Had she completely failed in the simple task Diego Lovelace would have wanted her to take up in his absence, the care of his only child? Then Roberta let out a scream of frustration. One so loud, it seemed to echo across the length and breadth of Roanapur and bounce off the very gates of Heaven and Hell themselves. It was the scream of a one who's heart and mind finally and completely broke.

Tears of regret left tracks in the gore splashed on her face. What was the Young Master doing here? Why was he here in this awful, awful place...this place so far from his home? How could Garcia Lovelace be here? She thought. Then answer was there. Her mind sharpened by the Devil's Root and honed to razor fineness. Garcia could not be here. Garcia would not be here. The boy Harris had said dementia was a side effect of using the root. So that was it; she was not seeing Garcia but only figments of her imagination. Her mind playing tricks with her and making her feel guilt over her words and actions. She began to laugh. She had been so easy to fool, to be tricked, but thanks to the Devil's Root she was clear now. Clear and sharp and at long last, free of the guilt and remorse that had made her days and nights so tormented. She saw the dreams and fantasies of her guilt for what they were.

Roberta stepped back from the unconscious child...no, not a child and certainly not her beloved Young Master. The Young Master was at home. This ...thing was a demon borne from her mind. A dream and like a dream it had substance only as long as she cowered in fear of it. Roberta raised her guns and pointed them toward the demon dream on the floor. She smiled to herself it would feel so good to purge her demons and all it would take was one little squeeze of the trigger.

* * *


	9. Chapter 9

xxx  
edited on 05/26/09 -- thanks amigodude

xxx

In the years leading up to his road trip Xander Harris had spent many an hour reading the classics of road culture, Jack Kerouac, Hunter S. Thompson and of course William Burroughs. Right this second Xander would have said that no psychedelic flight of fancy could match the terrible images bedeviling him now as his Devil's Root fueled brain tried desperately to interpret the world around him. Strange voices and sounds lead him though the dark hallways. His eyes caught weird shadows flitting ahead of him. Sometimes Spike walked with him, sometimes he walked alone. Finally he stepped though a door and there in front of him were three people sitting around a fire. Distant plains seemed to stretch off toward a dark horizon.

Spike beckoned him forward, "Pull up a rock Harris as dream states go this is pretty bleak is this really what goes on in your head. No wonder Red had to hold your hand for most of school."

Xander looked at then other figures grouped around the burning campfire. Looking at Spike with some hostility was the First Slayer. He had not seen her for a long time and hoped never to see her again.

"What's she doing here?" He asked "Isn't that the First Slayer?"

She was the manifestation of the Powers of the Slayer and was perhaps the first girl to ever possess those powers. His first meeting with her had been a particularly vivid dream in which she had tried very hard to kill him and the rest of Buffy's friends and allies.

Spike smiled, "Yeah I think she feels safe here. I guess the pussy-whipped smell nice and homey."

The cloaked figure spoke in a voice as much male as it was female. "As long as there has been a Slayer, there has always been a few among the Watchers who clearly see their duty of care toward them."

Xander looked at the girl who smiled at him and cooed. "That's effed, why would she feel safe in my head?"

The blond vampire snorted, "Weren't you the one preaching to the Maid about how much you loved Buffy and the Slayers or was that just BS for her benefit."

"Rosarita can smell lies like a dog, "Xander replied grimly, "I'd be dead now if she thought I was BSing.

"But you were BSing her, I mean you didn't tell her about the Slayer. I mean the dead one."

"I don't want to talk about that." Xander snapped, "What about the Cloak?"

Sitting next to The First Slayer was a cloaked figure. Xander watched as the figure threw kindling into the bonfire. The blaze would flare up and strange images would appear inside the dancing fire.

Inside the flames Xander saw a young bright eyed Buffy doing a cheer routine. The images swirled again and Xander saw still another cheerleader. The absence of shades and sneer almost rendered Eda unrecognizable.

Spike sneered at him, "What do you know Harris, your cheerleader fetish is a consistent one."

As Xander looked into the flame it swirled and changed again. Now he saw a young girl gunning down a fat man. Xander watched as she straddled his fallen form and shoved a pillow over his face before pressing the gun barrel down and pulling the trigger again. There was an all too familiar feral grin on her face and a grim look in her eye.

Revy's small shoulders looked so different without the tribal tattoos she would sport later in life. He wanted to reach into the flame and stop her, turn her around.

"Too late boy," The Cloak seemed to know his thoughts, "this one is beyond your aid."

"You can always change your life." Xander snapped defiantly, "You just have to want to."

"Something's can't be changed." Cloak threw more kindling into the blaze and the image changed. Now it was Xander pushing a stake into a vampire. Xander looked at the exploding vampire. It was Jessie, his best friend turned to a vampire during his first adventure with Buffy. "So boy, are you a master of your destiny or a puppet in its service?"

Xander stared grimly at the scene. "I do what I think is right."

"So do Revy, Eda and the rest of them." Spike argued, "They ain't bad. They just got a raw deal. That is what they tell themselves right?"

"Your point?" Xander snapped,

"What you do with the cards you get dealt is as important as the cards you get dealt."

"Sorry Xander no speakie- mystical mumbo-jumbo. You'll have to spell it out for me." Xander snapped in a fair imitation of Shunhua's pidgin English."

"You could have a hearts high straight flush and still lose the game if you want to badly enough." Spike sated calmly,

"You aren't just talking about me or Buffy here, are you?"

"Your Slayer is hunting Death as surely as Death is hunting her." The Cloak muttered before adding more fuel to the fire. Now it was showing images of a young Latino girl with very familiar blue eyes. She was barely Dawns age yet she was breaking a rifle apart and putting it back together with a mechanical precision that was all too familiar.

"I already know that Rosarita is a little screwed up."

"She has been forged in the same fire that has produced the greatest of warriors. They survive and triumph regardless of obstacle or challenge."

"How am I supposed to stop someone like that from killing all the Slayers if she gets it into her head to try and do it?"

"You cannot, only another can guide her from the madness and back to the light she desperately craves." The Cloak made the fire flare and Xander saw a young boy and the Maid in a horse drawn cart. The look on their faces was one Xander could not recall seeing on the Maid save for that minute or two when he had been babbling about Star Wars. It was this person that she had been recalling when she had seemed so far away. This must be Garcia.

"Who are you?" He asked the cloaked figure.

"Are you sure you want to know Harris?" Spike smiled knowingly,

"Who are you?" Xander repeated knowing and yet still dreading the answer.

"I am tired Boy; I wish to return to my sleep. End this war or I will awaken and when I wake, my hunger; my thirst, will be such that all you know will be sacrificed to it."

"You're one of The Old Ones, the sleeping gods; Giles told me about you once," Xander cursed in frustration, "I wish I could remember what he said."

"He told you not to screw with them." Spike said snidely,

"You live in Roanapur?" Xander asked mystified that such a powerful influence could go unnoticed.

The Cloak snorted "I do not live in Roanapur it is, in fact, quite the opposite."

"They built the city around you?" Xander asked incredulous, "If you had a whole City built on top of you, is a little gun battle really causing you such a fit?"

"The Battle is of scant concern to me boy." The Cloak snapped, "It is what the battle represents. The manipulations of The Three Who Rule as One; they would claim my power along with the power of misery they seek to control."

"Powers of misery, Wait, you mean the Root? This is about the Root?"

"Where misery sweetens the earth; there grows what you call The Devil's Root."

Spike chuckled, "The vial, dumb-ass, didn't you notice what the crap in the vial tasted like?"

Xander looked at the vial and the Devil's Root in his hands with growing realization. "They are the same. One is Old Coke, one is New Coke. They both start out in the coca fields. But the Root is in its natural unprocessed form. The crystal dust is …

"Like switching to light cigarettes after you've had Cuban cigars." Spike supplied,

"The FARC must know about this stuff if they are carting around the vials."

"The FARC are hired help. If you knew the kind of power sitting under every coca field and poppy garden on the planet would you really risk your power by telling that secret to the step-and-fetch crowd."

"Even errand boys will eventually clue into the possibilities especially with the Bloodhound fragging them left right and center."

"Now you see why our host wants the brake put on this little party fast."

"Hey show me the exit door for this little head trip and I'll be more then happy to deal with the latest crisis." Xander sighed,

The Cloak pointed off in the distance, "Follow the sounds of battle and you will find your way back to your place Boy, if I was you I would hurry especially if you would save the Hound from her own war madness."

"Yeah no worries I'm on it stop the war save the day."

"Hurry!"

"Right I'm doing it."

"Look in the fire boy"

Xander saw Rosarita covered in blood and gore standing over the boy Garcia. "That can't be real. The Maid would never hurt Garcia."

"You're seeing the vampire and a wind swept plain in the middle of an urban landscape. The root of misery opens the mind in many ways and it can change the pathways of an already opened mind."

"Spike you want to help me out a little here." Xander sighed

"The Maid's all fucked up just like you 'cept of course she was already seeing weird crap before this."

"Oh god, she thinks she seeing things." Xander swore and was turning when the cloaked figure grabbed his arm.

"Let me go I have to save him I have to."

If you would be a savior then you must sacrifice." The Cloak started to drag his arm toward the flame. "Sacrifice boy or you will never be what you wish to be."

Suddenly Xander's fevered mind cleared. He saw in the midst of the flames a something shining. He reached into the flame to grab at the shining thing and instead of heat he felt the cool smoothness of a doorknob he turned it and light flooded his senses.

He had burst through a door to see The Maid standing over prone form of Garcia. Her finger was tightening on the trigger when Xander cried out.

She looked up at him and smiled a death's head grin. "I hoped you would survive the FARC you continue to impress me."

"... And you're freaking me out. What the hall are you doing to the kid?"

"The Demon…" She said dismissively gesturing toward the senseless boy at her feet; "he is nothing more then a figment of your imagination just like he is mine."

"I'm pretty sure I know the difference between reality and drug induced fantasy."

"You took the plant the same as I did. I can smell it on you, do you really think I would trust that you can tell real from false."

"Rosarita...no Roberta I'm telling you; that is Garcia lying there. If you pull the trigger you'll never forgive yourself."

The Maid looked at him balefully, "I see, you are not the boy. Perhaps the FARC was too much for him. I'll avenge his death as I plan to avenge Master Diego." She leveled her gun in his direction. "As for you... adiós demonio."

Xander heard the muscles of her fingers stretching. He began moving as the bullet came out of the muzzle of the gun. Xander wondered if he was still coming down from his Devil's Root high. He darted toward her already knowing that fighting the woman would be a death sentence. She was adjusting her aim finger tightening again. The bullet sang past him. He jumped, kicking off the wall and swinging his foot around. Roberta's head dropped, but only as much as was needed to avoid his kick. She was punching out at him. He spun out of the way of the oncoming fist. He came in low, wrapping his arms around her and picking her up. He ran with his burden down the hallway trying to ignore the furious hammer blows that she rained down on his back and broad shoulders. "This is going to hurt." he groaned as he hurled her backward though a boarded window into the darkened room beyond.

Turning quickly once his hands were free, he looked around. There was a body on the floor. A quick search of the corpse showed this one was carrying some kind of PDA. He grabbed it and another vial of the crystal dust discarded on the floor. With his prizes, he scooped up Garcia in his arms and ran down the hallway. Xander was no fool. If Roberta came to her sense and realized it was indeed the real Garcia she had seen she would come after Xander to get the kid back and likely would not be that merciful when she caught up with him. If she was totally lost to her berserker rage then she would be coming for him anyway. Either way there was only one group he could hope to find shelter with that might keep him alive long enough to talk the Bloodhound down.

He was just figuring out how to track them down when a door burst open and three male soldiers and a girl Xander recognized as one of the Slayers came through. Holding Garcia out in front of him so that the Marines could see the unconscious boy Xander announced loudly. "I'm an American civilian and I'm trying to get this child out of harms way I need to speak with your commanding officer now."

xxx

Roberta raised herself from the floor. The boy was a fool if he thought a simple body tackle was all that was needed to stop her. Then she heard a rustling in the darkness and saw ragged figures shuffling forward. They were vampires, a full dozen in the room, awakened by the sounds of fighting in the hallways.

So he had not been trying to defeat her. He had instead turned her stratagem against her. He was using the vampires to delay her long enough so that he could escape. Roberta smiled; she had survived and witnessed all the hells that men could conjure into this world. A dozen vampires weren't going to slow her down for very long.

The Vampires closed on her. One that was the leader chattered at her in a language she did not understand. His meaning however was clear. He thought her a victim and was about to do to her what he did to all victims.

"Vampiro de señor de buenos días." She said with a grim smile, "I'm sorry but I might have to be rude. I hope you enjoy yourselves." she flew at them with a bloodthirsty howl. The lucky vampires died quickly. Only a few were lucky.


	10. Chapter 10

Eda rolled through the city streets on her Harley it was a big monster that she had invested a lot of time, effort and Church of Violence money in rebuilding to her specifications. She had tracked the chaos to this particular street. She could hear the sounds of battle up above. In the alleyway in front of her was a familiar car and she smiled as she cruised slowly to a halt beside. Rock was inside and from the look of him he was pissed.

"Chang wants us to pull out." he summarized after he had explained the substance of his talk with the triad boss.

Eda wasn't surprised. You didn't get to be the head off a major Triad Stronghold by being anything less then a ruthless bastard. Eda was surprised that Rock was so determined to defiantly stand up to the man. Then again Rock had hidden reserves of brass that continued to surprise everyone in town who mattered. "So Rock, ya think we're gonna get a happy ending out of this?" she asked him speculatively.

Rock returned her thoughtful gaze, "Nobody wants to step down from the stage and things are getting out of hand."

"Well the Americans are likely to survive this." Eda supplied casually, "In fact, I would not be surprised if the Maid comes through this in one piece as well."

Rock nodded, "What about Xander, He's survived quite a bit in his time but this is a little outside his box."

"Once a survivor, always a survivor," Eda smiled grimly, "He won't back down until his precious Slayers are out of harm's way. The FARC might complicate things a little but all they want is The Maid. For them, Xander is just in the way, collateral damage."

Rock exhaled as inspiration struck, "The Americans need to leave the city and without the Slayers if it's possible. We need to get them out in a way that doesn't draw attention either to the Marines themselves or to Roanapur."

"Not bad Rock," Eda smiled, "Xander is in this for the Slayers. Once he has them he's gonna get out of the line of fire. The Maid wants the Slayers but at the end of the day what she really wants is the Americans. The FARC are looking for the Maid, they'll only get involved with the Americans if stopping The Maid means going through them. And of course, the Americans want their little drug lord."

"Too bad I can't provide the Americans their target. That would be the perfect end to all of this. They liquidate their target and leave the City. They'd have no need of the Slayers and Xander and the Watchers could take charge of them."

"Well a little birdie tells me that a certain Triad Boss with a taste for the ladies is swinging by. Seems someone done went and blowed-up his slaving operation real good. He'd like to get a little payback."

Rock was shocked, "You mean General Sheu Yan is coming here. That's going to make things more complicated."

Eda smiled wolfishly, "Funny I thought you just said that if the Americans completed their mission, getting them out of the city will be much easier. If the General is dead or if the Grey Foxes get their man they won't need the Slayers and once the Marines and Slayers are gone The Maid's vengeance crusade ends. She goes home with the Lovelace boy and all is right with the world again. Of course convincing everybody that our plan is the best way for everyone to get what they want might be tricky but I'm sure a bright person can figure out a way."

Rock looked at the Nun thoughtfully, "A boat, it just might work if we got them out of the city by boat. Can you make things happen on your end?"

"Well duh, you think? Of course we need a way to make sure that when the Marines leave the Slayers behind; The Maid is discouraged from continuing the pursuit."

"I'll have to talk to Dutch but I think there might be a way, Of course, if the Watchers come we need them to concentrate on Xander and the Slayers. If they get involved with the Marines or worse the General ..."

"Rock baby, I'm gonna give you a little lesson. It will keep you alive and it comes in handy. The less extra information people have the better. You tell someone something they don't need to know or can't deal with, and they'll either panic and cause you problems or get over-confident and screw up. Decide what you want out of the situation and that will tell you what your allies NEED to know."

"So what do the Watchers need to know?" Rock asked.

"That Xander is in harm's way and he is trying to rescue the Slayers who are also in danger." Eda explained as if to a slow student, "They don't need to know why the Americans are here unless The General makes a move that threatens the Slayers. Same thing with the FARC; unless they're stupid enough to try and pick a fight with the Watchers, why should they need to know about the Cartel's kill squad."

Rock looked at Eda critically, " So if what you say is true then there's stuff you haven't told me isn't there?"

Eda smiled at Rock proudly, "Now, now, Rock, if I told you what I wasn't telling you then you'll either cause problems by panicking or you'll get cocky and screw-up. Right now you know exactly what you need to know to make this situation end favorably for everyone we care about." With that the Nun fired up her bike and went riding off into the night

Rock looked at her. Everyone it seemed who survived in this place was good at manipulating information and people. He wasn't sure he wanted to be like that but he did want Xander to make it out of this in one piece. He looked at his phone and smiled quietly to himself. He had to do this carefully like Chang and Eda did. He opened the phone and dialed the number Rupert Giles had given him.

There was an answering click on the other side of the line and a bubbly female voice answered. "Slayer Central -- We stop your apocalypse in thirty minutes or its free; Buffy speaking."

Rock had been expecting to talk to one of the lower level girls and for a wild moment considered abandoning his plan. Manipulating random Slayers was one thing, but the General of the Slayer Army. Buffy was someone that Xander respected --still, that was the wrong way to think. Chang never thought of it as manipulating things. He just did things; made moves that were in the island's, and his, best interest. He told you what you needed to know to further that agenda. Rock just had to adapt that policy for his own use.

"Hi this is Orokuro Okajima, Ms Summers. Xander's friend ...from Roanapur you might know me as Rock."

"Rocky, screw that Ms. Summers crap; I am so not even as close to organized as she was -- call me Buffy."

"Alright, I was hoping to talk to you anyway."

"Is this about Shunsi, that girl is really coming along. She's going to be a first rate Slayer." Buffy proclaimed. She was referring to the young ex-Slayer slave Rock had risked his life to save. The youngster had come to really be attached to him. Rupert Giles had hinted that they might make a good team should Rock accept his proposal of being a part-time Watcher.

"Actually I'm calling about Xander. He has turned up in Roanapur again and I'm going to need help extracting him from his latest predicament."

Buffy snorted "Big shock, who's the female and how dangerous is she?"

Rock was surprised for moment but realized she was being sarcastic Xander had mention his danger-prone tendencies had gotten him a bit of a reputation. "I sure he thinks he has everything under control but..."

"Rocky I know the girls who came back from Roanapur told me you and Xander started this whole bro-mance thing so I'll let you in a little secret. Xander never has the situation as under control as he think he does I have no idea why he does these crazy things I mean jumping on a plane and going halfway around the world to smash a slaving operation what was he ever thinking."

"If I was to guess I'd say he wants to feel like he's earned the respect you have for him." There was silence on the other end of the line. "Of course I could be wrong I am the new guy after all." He amended quickly hoping he had not lost his audience. "Anyway there is a situation and I'll need help."

"Well I can spare a few of the girls. They keep asking about him anyway. Hey I can arrange to have Shunsi come out there; you guys should spend some time together as Watcher and Slayer anyway. So, "Buffy asked with amusement thick in her voice, "What's Xander into and how dangerous is she?"

"How do you know there's a dangerous female involved?"

"Are you kidding me? It's Xander. So who is she?"

"A woman named Rosarita Cisneros. They call her The Bloodhound of Florencia." Rock explained the situation to Buffy making sure to edit out any details regarding the true mission of the Marines or the fact that the FARC would happily kill anyone or anything that got in the way of their vengeance against the Bloodhound.

There was a single muttered curse from the other end of the line. "Your kidding me this chick is hunting Slayers, and Xander is HELPING her."

This was the important part. He had to keep Buffy and company focused on Xander and the Slayers. "My understanding of the situation was that he either helped her target the Slayers she wants to find; or she threatened to go on a general hunt which might have brought her to you. I'm guessing you've already figured out that would not be an ideal scenario."

There was frenzied talking from the other end of the line, including at one point a maddened screech of "I will kill that son of a bitch."

Buffy could be heard soothing the person. "Willow calm down you can't kill Xander, until I kill him."

Suddenly Buffy was talking to him and Rock needed a second to understand what she was asking "Excuse me?'

"I asked where you are."

"In Roanapur; it's an island...."

"No I meant where in Roanapur are you. What's the location?"

"An alleyway near the Warehouse district."

"Standard kind of alleyway right? About twelve feet of clearance, right? OK I need you to back your car out a little; actually I need you to back it out a lot."

"OK," Rock fired up Benny's car and backed out of the alley "Why did I do that?"

"...Because you still want a car when this is over." Buffy answered quickly before issuing more unheard commands. If Rock was right she was mobilizing an army.

Buffy hung up suddenly leaving Rock wondering if he had screwed up somehow. Then there was a kind of electrical discharge. It began filling the alleyway as well a strong wind began picking up objects and even shaking the car. The discharge and shaking increased in strength until a huge globe flared into life. A shocked Rock watched as figures began stepping from this strange globe. A short blonde woman armed with something that looked like an axe was first. Behind her came several more females variously armed with an incongruous collection of medieval weaponry. In their midst was a tall man with glasses who was looking around with obvious distaste. At his side was another female this one dressed in earthy colours. One of the women was sticking close to her and they hugged briefly after Red Hair waved her arms dramatically. The globe vanished as quickly as it had flared into life. This was clearly the much rumored Willow of whom Xander had occasionally spoken.

Buffy looked around and caught sight of Rock. She marched over to the car and leaned into the window casually as if the preceding few seconds were entirely normal. "So Rocky, what's going on and how deep in it is Xander exactly?"

* * *

Riley Finn was doing his job. Maybe that was how he had managed to make it though the last few days by reducing everything to the simplicity of doing his job. Manuela and Maria the two Slayers under his supervision were his responsibility. Taking care of them and making sure they were ready to do their part was his part of the operation. Maria was a competent enough operative. She learned quickly and performed more or less flawlessly. Manuela was another matter entirely. It wasn't that the Slayer was incompetent. Quite the opposite, she was every bit as deadly a fighter as all the other Slayers he had encountered. In some ways she was better then Maria. Sometimes Finn could swear that she seemed to be able to read where blows were going to land before they were launched. Still there was something very off about her. She seemed to look at the world as if she was moving though smoke and fog. Often she would remark on events that had either not yet happened or that she should have no knowledge of in the first place.

Finn was expected to be an expert in the abilities and powers of Slayers. That was why he had been cross promoted from his army unit into the Grey Foxes. He had been contacted months ago and asked to travel to Venezuela to rendezvous with Dinkins. The black ops man had presented him with the two women. They had been blunt. He was still the only person with extended contact with Slayers. That made him an ideal handler. Dinkins had showed Reily pictures of the Slaver Camp from which the girls had been freed. Finn was not a man easily moved to throw up but it had been touch and go for a while.

Reily had no illusions about what might happen to the girls if he wasn't around. Dinkins was a ruthless bastard and Finn had little doubt that had he refused to help the man would have found someone else, someone whose loyalty to the girl's well being was much more questionable.

The team was enjoying a brief moment of rest. Their pursuers had let up on their near constant bombardment of fire and smoke? Finn wasn't naive enough to assume that situation would remain permanent. Claxton was sure they were being allowed to move though the hallways of the giant warehouse. Common sense dictated that if the enemy wanted them here then it was because this was the last place they were going to be safe.

He looked up, the recon squad had returned. Maria was with them. Manuela had been antsy as hell so Finn had ordered Maria to accompany the squad. Whatever was waiting for them in here was unlikely to be prepared for the abilities of the Slayer. Of course Finn was only hoping on that score. So far their opponent had been an ungodly amount of steps ahead of them.

"Medic!" one of the Marines screamed as he ran into the hastily assembled camp. "Medic, I got a young civilian male approximately twelve years of age."

Riley dashed over and examined the boy he was still unconscious but seemed otherwise unharmed. "He's fine; I'd say it was shock. Where'd you find him?"

The GI indicated Xander who looked like death. He was pale and sweating but seemed otherwise unharmed.

"We encountered him during our sweep he asked for our help. Said the kid had almost gotten caught in the crossfire. I'm guessing our enemy isn't too picky about who they take a shot at."

"Xander, what are you doing here?" Reily asked "Of all the places on earth for you to be in..."

Xander looked at him balefully before rushing him swinging his fist. "You limp-dick son of a bitch." He screamed.

Finn's head snapped back with the force of Xander's punch. He was staggering back when Xander grabbed him, hauling him back and screaming at him. "How could you, you degenerate scumbag how could you have done it, you tell me?"

Finn blocked Xander's next punch. "I'll admit I might have ONE coming but you aren't making me your punching bag Harris. Now grow up."

What Xander thought of that was lost amid the scuffle of bodies as he and Reilly started scrapping. Their fight only ended with a loud voice screaming "Atenn-shun!"

A lifetime of training made Reily snap to attention; standing up straightening his shoulders and looking dead ahead while emptying his mind of all thought. Almost all thought since at least a small part of him noticed that Xander did the same thing.

"What in Christ's holy name is going on here?" Claxton screamed as he approached the small group.

The Marines who had headed the Recon squad spoke up, "Sir we made contact with ..." he began but Claxton swiftly cut him off.

"I don't recall asking you a Goddamn thing." He turned his gaze on Reilly. "Now Finn, would you like to tell me please what in hell you are thinking fighting like a junkyard dog in the middle of an operation."

"I was attacked sir. I was only defending myself from Harris."

Claxton looked at Xander who was still looking dead ahead his eyes began to track Claxton's movements Claxton decided to test something. "Eyes Front, Soldier. You are at Attention until I say otherwise do you have a listening disorder."

"Sir, No Sir!" Xander cried out. If possible he managed to draw himself even more to attention.

"L-T this is a civilian is he not? Might you be able to explain to me why he currently looks better then some West Point grads I've known."

"Sir, Harris and the rest of the population of Sunnydale were the victims of a psycho-kinetic event several years ago. The result was that Harris along with the rest of the population was briefly inhabited by the costumes they wore on Halloween. Harris went as a soldier." Finn when on to explain that in the time since Xander had mentioned bits and pieces of his experience came back to him randomly.

"What branch of the service Son" Claxton asked Xander.

"Sir, Army Rangers, Sir"

"Based on what?"

Sir, My Spanish was mediocre at best before Halloween. Afterward it was much better then could be achieved with study alone. Additionally my familiarity with the additional forces pursuing you; I have no personal experience with Colombian Revolutionaries but I feel like I've dealt with them before."

"Whoa Colombian...you mean FARC what the hell are they doing in the South China Sea." One of the Marines named Sanchez asked.

"They are in pursuit of The Bloodhound. However the enemy of your enemy is not your friend."

"What are you talking about? What Bloodhound."

"You mean you honestly don't know; even after all this time you don't know." Xander took a breath, "You are being pursued by one of the most lethal terrorist and assassins to come out of the ranks of the FARC."

"...And how do you know this?"

"Because up until ten minutes ago when she tried to kill me and the kid I was helping her do it. We've been tracking you since the hotel. This trap in the warehouse was her idea. She wants a nice enclosed killing ground. You'll have nowhere to run to and the Vampires will take care of any stragglers."

"What vampires,"

"I knew it I've felt them." Maria replied with dawning realization.

"Your Slayers have been sensing them. They are using this area as a communal resting place. Rosarita wants the Slayers so overwhelmed that they won't sense when she gets close to you. Obviously it worked thus far."

"What the hell?" Reily asked, "You mean you're the one hunting our guys what were you thinking?"

"She started hunting your people on her own my only thought was the two Slayers you decided to use as cannon fodder."

"Excuse me? We rescued those girls and you think that makes it ok to hunt us down?"

"You blew up an old man Reily; an old man who never did a danm thing to you. If that was some kind of noble act you're gonna have to help me out because I'm not seeing it."

"You have no idea what Intel we had on Lovelace. You have no idea what we heard about him."

"Your right I don't but since am infamously dangerous terrorist retired from the business to be his house maid I'd say he was maybe one hell of a nice guy don't you?"

"I'd say anybody capable of giving shelter to someone like that is pretty sketchy."

"Don't say that. You don't know my father you have no right to judge him." Garcia was awake and holding a very large gun. Reilly looked down at his hip and cursed during his fight with Xander his service gun had come lose and obviously Garcia had picked it up the gun looked huge in his hands and he was pointing it at Claxton. "It was you, you killed my father you destroyed my family. Roberta was ok until you people came along we would have been happy forever if not for you and your filthy war."

"Son put that down." Claxton said softly

"Why? I used to think talking and peace were the solutions for everything but you people. You took away everything I care about in a second with something like this. Why should I be the only one whose hands are clean?"

Xander looked at the young boy. "Garcia you don't want to do this. You don't want this on your heart and in your mind."

"What about you. You killed that NSA Man; you're fine."

"What NSA Man?"

"Dinkins and Roberta were both following Xander's trail but Dinkins found him first and later Dinkins turned up dead."

Dinkins found me alright. I was looking for the girls I was there the day of Lovelace's assassination I saw one of your Slayers leaving the area and so did Roberta. I started asking questions and following clues. Dinkins caught up with me and he thought I was the one tracking and killing all the ops personnel involved in the killing of Lovelace but that was Roberta wasn't it?"

Garcia nodded, shame anger and fear chasing each other across his face. "Roberta knows how to make people tell her things. Those people told her that my father was killed by an outside unit. SOCOM, a unit called the Grey Foxes. "

Claxton and rest of the Foxes reacted with shock at the horrible realization that Garcia was the son of the man they had helped kill only days before. For Reily however Garcia's news brought an altogether different kind of terrible shock. "...You just killed Dinkins, just like that?" Reily snapped at Xander. Finn's disgust was plain in his voice.

Xander was unimpressed, "There was no JUST about it Finn. The man strapped me to a chair. He beat the hell out of me and tortured me. If it weren't for Roberta they would have found me face down in the jungle somewhere."

Garcia continued his story, "Lucentes the man you used for information could have told you that Roberta was sheltering with my father he had contacts within the Cartels, they knew."

"Dinkins definitely didn't know until he saw Roberta. Even then, he didn't recognize her at first. I'm guessing Lucentes kept that little detail about the killer maid to himself."

Why would he do that, he was ops we would have handled the assignment better had we known upfront of the danger."

"Well the Bloodhound has a pretty substantial price on her head. If I was Lucentes and I wanted to collect on that bounty I wouldn't want to have to share my money with the Marines who actually did the dirty work especially since if they screwed up somehow there was every chance The Bloodhound would start hunting them."

"OK I get why She is hunting us but why did you get involved?"

"I was tracking Slayer Slaves and found the slush money Dinkins used to purchase the two you have now. I busted up the camp near here. During the operation one of the girls who had been turned made a play to kill me. I decided to get myself a little equalizer. Roberta found out about it and made me hand over the whole bunch of the danm things."

"What things?"

"It's called Devils Root and I thought it was this really cool secret that would make you strong enough and fast enough to take down a slayer if you had to. Jokes on me though, someone has figured out a way to reprocess the stuff into a crystal powder and I'm betting it's not so they can make it the next high price boutique item at Bed Bath and Beyond."

"You gave her this stuff?"

"A Slayer, Your Slayer, one of the ones YOU were training tried to kill me. I've sparred with enough Slayers to know that if you can't take a Slayer down in the first few seconds of combat you're dead."

"But still giving that kind of power to this Roberta?"

Xander snapped at the man, "I had just watched the woman who saved my LIFE torture a man to death; a man who tried to kill me. Do you really think I was going to say no when she asked."

"I would have."

Xander snorted, "Really? I'm going to get a debate on moral failings from a guy who signed off on the purchase of Slaves and plans to use them to fight a war."

"I'm just following my orders." Reily growled angrily

"God knows I never get tired of hearing that excuse used to justify crap." Xander said wryly,

"It's not an excuse Harris," Claxton cut him off with quiet authority, "you'd understand that if you had ever put on a uniform any time other then for dress up. It's about duty, honor and sacrifice."

Garcia, still holding tightly to the gun in his hands whispered "Roberta says that principles are false gods. That people use them to trick themselves and others."

"That hardly surprises me." Claxton sighed dropping to his knees to be eye level with Garcia "Son do you honestly think I agree with every order I have been given. I follow those orders because I believe in my heart that the people giving them have the best interest of the country and my men at heart."

Claxton held up a hand "Weapons down people. This boy is not our enemy." Turning back to Garcia he looked directly at the boy. "Garcia you have every reason to hate me and my men we did something to you something we can never undo but we made a choice. Your father made a choice and your maid she made choices to that what being an adult is about. Making choices and living with the consequences. I won't hold it against you if you pull that trigger but a hell of a lot of people have fought like hell to make sure that you would never have to make that choice. What would they want right now?"

Garcia looked distraught but eventually lowered the weapon. Claxton took it from his numb fingers and returned it to Reily. "If it makes you feel better Garcia, you are wrong. Negotiation and diplomacy have been a hell of a lot more useful in this world then people like me. I wish there were more people who used them."

"My Father believed in such things."

Claxton shook his head sadly, "Then it's a damn shame what happened to him, a damn shame. Alright people lets get moving. Now we know why our enemy wanted us here, its time to leave."

"That might be tricky," Finn mused thoughtfully, "If this Bloodhound is following us she'll be springing her trap soon."

Xander piped up, "We have a few more minutes. I left her with the Warehouse's other occupants she'll cut through them like a hot knife through soft butter but in the meantime, We'll have a few to escape."

"You left Roberta with the vampires, "Garcia protested, "How could you, she saved your life she protected you."

"...And then she tried to kill me because she's out of control." Xander reminded him, "Lately I'm developing something of a taste for self preservation."

"She's confused, that stuff you gave her. If it weren't for that she'd be fine."

Xander held up his hands defensively, "She was popping anti-psychos long before I ever gave her the Devils Root. Kid, I may have made things worse but things were bad long before I got involved."

"Could we debate this in a more secure location?" Claxton snapped.

Everyone agreed to table the discussion and headed out. They exited the warehouse into what was essentially a cul-de-sac with high walls and buildings hemming them in on all sides.  


* * *

On a roof high above the marines the hi-powered scope of a modified Dragunov Dexter looked down on them.

"Capitan I've made contact I count a half dozen marines left out of the original squad."

Balalaika their commander nodded and drew heavily on the cigar in her lips before tossing it to the roof. Comrade Corporal, your weapon if you please." She said softly holding out her hand. The Trooper gave up his Sniper Rifle. She looked through scope while the corporal continued his report.

"Incidentally it appears that Harris the Civilian, has joined the Marines and has the boy, Lovelace, with him. No sign of The Bloodhound yet ma'am."

Balalaika nodded gravely before returning the weapon to her soldier.

Boris, her second in command, cocked his head to the side. "Harris' self destructive tendencies have not improved with time."

"Nor can we allow emotional attachments to supersede the necessities of our mission. Comrades, our enemy is near and our mission is clear. Nothing can be allowed to unbalance the fragile lives we have here, absolutely nothing."

The Marines moved away from the scant protection provided by the cul-de-sac. "Enemy contacts have entered area of engagement." the sniper reported, taking a breath as he prepared for Balalaika's command.

"Then on my mark we unleash hell." Balalaika snapped.


	11. Chapter 11

***

A sharp shout cut across the air and Balalaika looked up. "What the hell do you think you are doing?" A floating woman cried out angrily.

Balalaika blinked, her disbelieving eyes were normally pretty reliable but the sight of a woman hanging in midair was shocking. Her red hair was shot though with dark tints that seemed to leak from eyes that looked like obsidian polished to a terrible sheen. Her clothes billowed in the slight breeze of the night air. Her body kept aloft by simple will alone as if the law of gravity was simply another annoyance to be overcome.

"If you think I'm letting you massacre Xander," Red Hair hissed, "then you're seriously playing out of your weight class." her arms crossed as if her pronouncement ended all debate.

One of Balalaika's troops reacted with shocked surprise pointing his weapon at The Floating Woman. Balalaika saw his finger straining on the trigger and yet there was no fire and no sound of thunder.

This was obviously Willow Rosenberg, Harris' magic-using friend. The girl smiled wryly, "Pro-tip hotshot," she snapped at the surprised sniper, "Guns as a rule are useless if they get too hot or too cold." She raised her hands. The right was wreathed with an ice blue aura while the left held a ball of flame.

The Russian Mob boss decided that debating the implausibility of a floating woman who could render weapons useless with a wave of her hand was waste of time they did not have.

"Ms' Rosenberg," Balalaika snapped, "In a few seconds a group of about a dozen hungry and angry vampires are going to burst though that door and if my men and I cannot stop them, Mister Harris is going to be a dead man."

Willow blinked and looked down at the Marines and Xander below. You mean you were..."

''Time is wasting Ms Rosenberg either undo what you did --save them yourself, or watch him die. You have six seconds... five...four...three..."

Willow waved her hand, "It's done."

"Fire!" Balalaika cried out.

***

Faith Revy and the rest of the mercenaries had been making good time since disposing of the last of the FARC opposing them. The Trooper they had tortured had reluctantly provided them with many details about what was in the strange vial. Not that the man knew very much but what he did know he repeated as many times as it took Sawyer to be satisfied at his answers. The Chemical was some kind of drug they had been told. It would make them better and faster though they had not been told how it worked. Faith was curious why they had been told it had to be self-administered. Had the drug been automatically pumped into the men the FARC might have done better against the small band who had up to this point managed to maul the hell out of the opposing force. Revy was unconcerned. If they had some kind of advantage, she maintained, but didn't use it; they deserved to be slaughtered like cattle.

The team rounded a corner and Faith was shocked to see a body leaning on the wall. A blade sunk deep in the throat of a FARC solder was keeping the body propped against the wall where the young man had died.

Sawyer stepped forward and felt at the corpse. "**Rigor hasn't set in yet this was done not too long ago I'd say our quarry isn't too far ahead.**"

"Who did this, the Maid?" Revy asked.

"Of course it was the Maid," Faith interrupted defensively, "you think Xander could do something like this."  
**  
"Actually he did." **The Cleaner replied, **"Look at the body. That was not a clean kill it was messy, panicked." Sawyer looked around the hallway and spied still more clues, "...and then there is this, Xander and The Maid are the only ones with The Devil's Root and she is dosing herself with small amounts. So this whole one must have come from Xander**."

Faith felt her stomach churn with revulsion. IN the middle of a pool of vomit on the floor was a half eaten Devil's Root.

Sawyer continued dispassionately, "**The Maid has killed many I doubt she would be as upset at a simple death as to throw up but Xander on the other hand. When you are used to killing things that fade away when they die, you tend to forget that death is a messy affair**."

"Oh man Buffy is so going to kill me when she finds out about this."

"What, are you kidding me? Why would they give you grief?"

"You have no idea what B and Red are like when it comes to Xander. If he so much as chips a nail they want to unleash the hound on whoever is responsible."

"Such protectiveness is admirable if a little out of place, don't you think?" Rotton asked politely.

"I used to until I caught myself doing it too. Xander is the only one of us who has no real magic or special ability and yet he's been there since the very beginning. Even when some of us have doubted, he stayed the course. I guess by hanging on to Xander...it's like hanging on to what we used to be before all the crazy shit started. When I'm around him I can sometimes remember the tough chick from south Boston; never thought I would miss her."

Revy had a strange look on her face and Faith snorted derisively. "Relax; I already know what a whine-ass bitch that made me sound like." The Slayer snapped.

Revy didn't say anything and wouldn't have. Faith's speech about Xander made her think of Rock. Was that why she was always letting Rock drag her into crazy crap like this hunt for The Maid? Rock had referred to himself recently as the bullet to Revy's gun. A simple useless lump of lead awaiting the strike of a hammer to cause the explosive force that turned the lump of lead into a deadly force to be reckoned with. Revy wondered if Rock realized the implications of his words. A gun was useless without a bullet and bullet's single purpose was in the service of the gun.

They all shook off the moment and headed onward.

Soon enough, they came across more bodies. Shenhua shuddered as she looked at the carnage.

"Maid devotion to master one thing -- but this..." The Hardened Assassin focused on a corpse grotesquely splayed up against the wall. He had been garroted with what looked like an ordinary household wire clothes hanger. His was the cleanest least brutal death that could be seen. The rest had died with a silent ugliness that Shenhua found frighteningly efficient. "This is -- overkill." She said with a disgusted whisper.

"If you think that's bad," Faith whispered, "Wait until you check this out." She beckoned them around the corner. A scene of more carnage awaited them. Someone had left a broken body that had been reduced to state rendering it barely identifiable as human.

"Let me guess," Faith whispered, "trauma?"

"**Very blunt force, --very, very blunt force.**" Sawyer said dispassionately. "**This was the Maid, look at the pattern of violence. His hands were broken then she took her time. This was done with both passion and precision**.

"Please tell me Xander was not standing around watching as she did this." Faith snapped angrily, "I don't care what her damage is; this is ...wrong."

Xander might not have but someone was." Rotton muttered looking at a discarded crowbar.

"**It's still wet with sweat.**" Sawyer reported grimly.

"The Bitch is an artist, I'll give her that." Revy surveyed the scene with wary admiration.

"Where did the Head Housemaid go from here?" Fabiola asked fretfully,

Faith pointed down the hallway at a damaged wall that lead to a dark room beyond. The Group climbed into the darkness and Faith looked around. Her senses were tingling. "This place, the place was crawling with vampires."

"It still is," Revy gestured toward a body that had been pinned to the wall by metal rebars. The vampire had been impaled strategically to ensure maximum pain but minimum chance of him dissolving. Bullet holes in the wall and casings on the floor told the rest of the grim vignette that had transpired here. The Maid had crucified the vampire to the wall and then used gunfire to remove its arms and legs.

The moaning the vampire was doing became words that none save Shenhua could translate she reported that the vampire had been one of several sheltering in the room. The Maid had crashed into their hideaway after a brutal fight in the hallways outside. The Bloodhound had quickly and lethally disposed of the vampires attacking her before cruelly interrogating the vamp about how many of its brothers and sisters were located in the warehouse.

"Why would she leave him alive though?" Revy asked critically

"To attract the rest," Faith shuddered with comprehension. "Vampires have good hearing, and sense of smell. If they smell the blood and violence in the air and hear our friend they'll start to swarm like sharks." Faith looked around the Room.

"What do ya need?" Revy asked

"A Stake" Faith nodded toward the Vamp, "I don't want to leave him like this."

Rotton dipped inside his coat and removed a stake from it that he passed the surprised Slayer who plunged the stake into the crucified vampire's heart. The creature dissolved with a grateful sigh.

A quick examination of the weapon revealed a distinctive metallic sheen.

"You keep silver etched stakes on hand...just in case?" Faith asked the silver haired mercenary.

"I believe in being prepared." Rotton shrugged,

"There are six warehouses on this block and they all connect through underground passages." Revy mused thoughtfully;

Rotton tapped his fingers against his cheek in thought. "Simple math would imply that with six warehouses with say a few dozen vampires to each warehouse..."

"Don't, " Faith pleaded, "please don't. That kind of thing we don't want to think too hard about. Let's just find Xander and the Maid before the vampire buffet starts. "

"Then lets get our asses in gear;" Revy snapped, "I don't know about he rest of you but I'm on the clock and Little Lord Moneybags is gonna get his money's worth out of me."

They pounded down the hallway toward the sound of rustling and as they approached the entrance they caught sight of several running forms. One of the figures looked back at the running mercenaries and Faith saw a vampire in full game face.

''It's The Slayer -- go." the vamp cried out and turned to join his brethren as they burst out the doorway ahead. The group put on a burst of speed but pulled up short when gunfire rained down. Almost all the vampires were taken in the first volleys; the two who weren't, suddenly exploded in twin plumes of flame.

"That's magic it has to be, it's Red." Faith looked up and saw the young woman hanging in the air, "Rosenberg's here which means So is Buffy."

Faith looked up and saw Xander and Garcia standing with several amazed looking soldiers who were by the look somewhat freaked about the rapid deaths of the vampires.

"Perimeter defense, report" An older looking man cried out. He was obviously the one in charge of the soldiers.

Faith saw Buffy's old boyfriend, Riley Finn -- standing with the soldiers He was pointing upward to several shadowy figures lining the rooftops.

A radio flared to crackling life and Faith heard the dark rumble of Balalaika's voice. "Major General Claxton of the unit 114; I am addressing the head of the Grey Foxes, please respond."

Claxton picked up the radio and looking up at the roof spoke into the receiver. "This is Claxton with who am I speaking?"

"We are Vozdushno-Desantnye Vojska, I am Captain." Balalaika announced, "and right now I'm your best chance of getting out of this city alive."

"No offence ma'am but do you honestly expect me to believe that Russian Airborne Troops just happen to be stationed in this hellhole?"

You could almost hear the smile in Balalaika's voice. "This hellhole is our Purgatory Major, and like purgatory we are waiting for the final word -- will we find heaven or drop into hell."

"I'm told an elite Assassin is hunting us. I'm going to go ahead and say this is Hell as hot as any battlefield I've been on."

"... And like any battlefield you've been on Major you have no choice you must survive. The rules are no different if you want to beat the Bloodhound you will have to commit to survival. My men and I will escort you to safety and respond to any engagement in kind."

Claxton looked at his men and sighed. "Thank you Captain I'd appreciate any assistance you can be."

Xander walked over to Faith and threw his arms around her and hugged her fiercely. "Hey Southie Long time no see I was beginning to think I wasn't ever going to see a friendly face again."

Faith hugged him back as hard as she dared. "You stupid son of a bitch -- have you any idea how worried I've been about you? I've been scared out f my mind thinking you were going to die."

Xander replied softly, "So was I, Faith; so was I."

Xander met the rest of the gang saying hellos and exchanging banter with the ever-irascible Revy. "Have you any idea how much shit you've stirred up." she replied in a mocking fashion, Hey, How's about I send Glasses Bitch on a rampage through the town I'm sure nobody will mind in the least."

Xander pointed back into the warehouse, "You saw the trail she left behind how much arguing would you have done with her."

Revy waved a dismissive hand at him, "I was the one that went one on one with her last time. I already know she's a head case, but giving her wacky-weed so's she can fight Slayers that's just..."

"Self-preservation," Xander reminded her, "One of those Slayers tired to kill me and I'm kind of attached to not being dead."

"Well we can relax now can't we?" Faith asked, "I mean you guys are here and Ms. Balalaika's is taking the Marines to safety."

"Save for the odd behavior of the recently destroyed undead." Rotton reminded them, "They were fleeing the building and since I smell no smoke, I can only assume whatever they were scared of is worse then a fire."

Xander looked toward the darkened building, his neck hairs rising in nervous terror. He looked toward Faith and Maria who were both glancing around anxiously He saw the other Slayer Manuela looking skyward a beatific smile on her face. "She is coming; Death is coming for me "

"Finn, get 'em huddled up we are about to get stampeded."

"How do you know?"

"The Bloodhound is playing sheep dog," Xander snapped "She wanted the vampires to slaughter your people inside the warehouse. Now she's herding the vampires. So they'll flee toward the only safe exit " The marines fell back and huddled together guns pointing outward and directed at the dark entrance way.

The first thing Xander saw were eyes, dozens and dozens of pairs of eye flying toward them. "Here they come!" Xander screamed out.


	12. Chapter 12

A tide of vampires, all ages and genders some well fed others skeletal to the point of collapse, exploded forth, pouring out of the warehouse.

Faith reacted instinctively. She hurled herself at the tide of undead using her sword to take down three in one devastating slash. "Remember to aim for the heart!" she screamed at Maria and Manuela who stood back to back staking all who approached them.

"Open fire!" impossible as it was to believe both Balalaika and Claxton cried the words in chorus and both teams opened up with gunfire screaming.

"She's Here." Manuela cried out as an upstairs window exploded outwards.

"A hammer of righteousness to all injustice!" Roberta cried out as she crashed through the gaping hole firing her guns as she dropped to the ground in a combat crouch.

"Welcome to my killing floor." She snarled gleefully at Claxton before marching toward him relentlessly, the sea of undead parting around her. She moved like the iconic killer cyborg she was so often compared to since Rock had seen her the first time so long ago.

Shenhua grimly swung her knives in a deadly arc seeking to force the Maid to retreat but the Maid stuck up her arm entangling the tethered knife. The blade wrapped around her arm the blade of the knife came to a sudden stop caught in the Roberta's clenched teeth. The blade shattered in the grip of her mouth while Roberta growled and pulled on the tether, pulling the Taiwanese assassin off her feet. The Maid swung the line around in a circle before jerking on the line and reeling the woman close enough to grab her from the air and drive her with a bone-jarring thud into the ground.

A panicked Sawyer lashed out obviously worried for her friend and tried forcing Roberta backward with the wildly spinning blade of her chainsaw. Roberta slammed the guns in her hands together, against the blade's teeth. The chainsaw let out a deranged groan as the motor tried to overcome The Maid's freakish strength, a fight the chain blade lost as the belt snapped and Sawyer was herself dragged forward. A swift palm strike sent The Cleaner sprawling to the ground beside the fallen Shenhua.

Rotton fired shots at the maid to drive her away from his fallen comrades.

Roberta kicked Rotton below the belt. The painful groin-shot was felt by every male for blocks around.

Faith rose up in her pathway slashing at her with the sword in her hands. Roberta blocked her attacks with her gun but Faith's superior strength allowed her to cut through one of Roberta's pistols. "A Slayer!" Roberta hissed. Faith renewed her attack trying to drive The Maid back. Roberta dodged around each slash before grabbing at Faith who lashed out with a kick that sent Roberta spinning into a pile of metal poles. Faith closed the distance quickly knowing that Roberta's gun and her deadly accuracy and speed, gave her a tremendous advantage. However it wasn't her remaining gun that Roberta used to defend herself from the Slayer's lightening fast attacks. Instead she snatched up one of the poles she had crashed into and began using it as an improvised spear, slashing and thrusting at Faith with blazing speed and keeping the Slayer on the defensive. Faith quickly realized Roberta had another dangerous advantage. She knew exactly where to hit someone, even a Slayer, to cause the most harm. Faith would dodge a slash or parry a thrust only for the Maid to land a follow-up blow on her shoulders or sides that drove air from her lungs or sent painful fire through her body. Growing desperate to stop the Maid's attack Faith slashed at the metal rebar splitting it with the force of her sword slash. Faith now launched a dizzying series of slashes and thrusts hoping to keep the Maid off balance but far from slowing her down The Maid simply switched styles. She improvised a stick fighting attack that allowed her to counter Faith's attacks while still launching her own brutal swats and slaps. Finally Roberta lashed out and hit both Faith's shoulder and elbows almost simultaneously. Faith felt her arms go dead even as paralyzed fingers went slack forcing her to drop her sword. Faith dropped backward and swung her feet trying to deflect Roberta's attacks with her feet and knees but the battle was already decided. Swift as a shadow Roberta slipped behind the Slayer and poked hard at the woman's knees. One of her legs went dead and she found herself stumbling to the side. Roberta slid in close to the briefly helpless Slayer, entangling her arms as she moved. With a savage jerk; she wrenched both Faiths' arms hard. Faith heard an agonized scream and was surprised that it came from her own lips. She fell to the ground, almost passing out from the pain of having both her shoulder joints dislocated at the same time. Roberta left her where she fell as Xander rushed to her side.

Roberta continued cutting though the opposition before her until Fabiola darted out and held a restraining hand on her. "Mistress Headmaid, the Young Master has come a long way to find you he wants you to come home --please listen."

Roberta stopped, Fabiola felt relieved as a gentle smile came to Roberta face Then Roberta spoke and Fabiola went cold.

"Fabiola, What are you doing out here?" Her gentleness of her voice in no way matched the violent madness in her eyes. "Never mind I hear thunder and that means rain. Find the Young Master's jacket; bring it out to the garden. He was going to go to the library and if it is going to be unpleasant outside he should dress appropriately. After that, I'm sure Master Diego should be fine until we return, but stay close should he have further duties for you." Roberta patted the young girl companionably leaving her behind.

Garcia stood in her way. The demented Maid dropped to the ground and looked into his eyes. "Young Master, It is so nice to see you again. I have a final duty to perform. Then if you wish, we can have some tea in the garden." She reached out with bloodstained fingers to gently caress his young face.

With no trace of the fear that he knew he should be feeling Garcia reached out and held his beloved maid. "Please Roberta I need you to stop this I need you to come back home Please stop this."

"Master Lovelace, I will be able to play with you soon. I have but one task to discharge for your Father and then You and I can enjoy the rest of this fine day Fabiola is bringing you your jacket please put it on I would not you to catch a draft."

Garcia looked under the blood and gore at his beloved maid and saw the eyes of his Roberta. "What task Roberta, what did Father want you to do?" Then he watched as she rose from her knee and the warmth and love leaked away to be replaced by something all together more horrifying.

"Trapping and dealing with a troublesome Fox." She hissed as She began her relentless marching in Claxton's direction.

A battle cry in Russian echoed across the rooftops as a lithe form launched itself into the night sky and dropped to the street. Roberta flipped backward barely avoiding the falling body of a young woman dressed in VDV fatigues.

Xander recalled this was one of the young girls rescued from the Slavers. Balalaika had volunteered to take care of the young Russian named Bella who only spoke her native language. Bella lashed out at Roberta driving her back form Claxton. Roberta smiled and caught or evaded her blows. The Russian managed to grab at the Roberta and drive her backward, but it was all too quickly obvious that she had not caught Roberta rather it was the Maid who had trapped her Slayer opponent. The two rolled across the ground with Roberta landing atop the girl. The Maid pulled back her fist before driving it powerfully into Bella's torso. The Russian gave a high and loud scream, cringing away from the blow for a few crucial seconds. Roberta aimed a sharp blow to her temple that rolled the young girl's eyes back in her head. Bella slumped to the earth senselessly and Roberta rose abandoning the broken thing behind her and continued her unstoppable march.

"Roberta you don't want to do this." Xander cried out

Maria swung out a fist at Roberta head, which the maid caught. She then lashed out with a vicious punch to the Maria's elbow causing a sickening crack. "I am going to find out the truth of things Xander no matter what I will find out the truth."

Manuela held her arms open almost greeting the Maid as she stalked toward her but Claxton swerved around the girl "Finn get your girls in gear and get them and the rest of the squad out of here." Claxton cried out launching himself at Roberta.

A razor sharp blade appeared in Roberta's hand. "Time to skin your hide Senor Fox!" The Maid hissed gleefully.

"Nooo, It was supposed to me." Manuela cried out with a heart broken wail. Riley grabbed her and dragged her away. She reached clutching toward the battling duo. "IT was supposed to be me." She screamed.

Roberta and Claxton rolled across the ground and for a moment it appeared that Roberta had Claxton at a disadvantage and was going to cut the life from him mercilessly. Balalaika ordered her men to keep up their fire. Claxton boldly rolled himself and Roberta into the path of the gunfire the hail of bullets churning the pavement around them in a cordite rainstorm. Roberta finally relinquished her hold on the soldier. Pulling her pistol again to hurl fire at the Grey Fox commander

Suddenly Roberta's gun fell silent, she pulled the trigger but nothing came out. Narrowing her eyes she scanned the rooftops spotting Willow quickly.

Xander would have been amazed to know that his endless chatter and banter had for once not been ignored but rather processed and filed away as Roberta had been doing for most of her battle hardened life. She filed it away where her nimble mind had constructed various scenarios for dealing with a situation just like this one.

She quickly hurled a grenade high into the air toward the Witch still floating above the street. Willow reached out with her mind to catch the grenade while shielding herself and the Russians from what she thought was an explosive attack. Instead the blast when it came threw off a blinding light. Willow cried out, shielding her eyes from the flash even as her distracted mind released its hold on The Bloodhound's weapons.

Knowing she had only seconds Roberta aimed a stream of fire into the air cutting through a billboard high above the street sending it crashing to the rooftop; scattering several of the Russians and further unsettling Willow. Undaunted though, Balalaika's men and the Marines kept the pressure on. Roberta snarled and wheeled around breaking for the dubious cover of a rusted car that had long ago lost its battle with creeping age. From this vantage she hurled thunderous gunfire at the marines.

Manuela danced closer to her shots drawing her fire. Riley broke from cover and dashed to grab the Slayer-girl and tackled her to the ground avoiding Roberta's deadly gunfire which started marching relentlessly back toward him popping closer and closer to the cowering Finn.

Suddenly Buffy was standing over-top of Riley. She wielded The Scythe, a weapon that looked remarkably like an Axe but had been made for the use of Slayers in the field. Buffy used it to deflect or cut from the air the hail of bullets coming her way. Finally Roberta retreated back behind the car blindly firing a few more times.

Between the gunfire from the Marines and Hotel Moscow's relentless troops, the aging car was losing what little life it still possessed. Buffy lashed out her weapon again deflecting a bullet, which sliced back, burying itself in the car; igniting what little fuel remained inside. Xander watched as the thing went up in a blaze of fire and smoke. Garcia screamed as he watched the burning hulk take to the air before falling back to the ground with a tremendous crash. Xander dashed over and checked around the burning hulk the maid was gone.

He looked up to catch Buffy's gaze. "Sewer escape?" Summers asked tiredly,

Xander nodded, "Sewer escape."

"You mean Roberta, she's alive?" A panicked Garcia asked, Xander nodded and the young boy sank to his knees whispering gratitude to Santa Maria among others.

Revy snorted at Xander, "Then you my friend, are fucked. If that bitch is still breathing she'll be coming for us, all of us. It ain't a question of if; it's a question of when."

Buffy looked at Xander with a reproaching stare, "So are you gonna tell me what the hell is going on and why your back here or can I just cut right to part where I kick your ass."

Xander looked at Buffy thoughtfully before replying, "You might want to get the ass-kicking out of the way now. The background on this disaster is kind of a long story."


	13. Chapter 13

***

Roberta limped though the sewers underneath the warehouse district. She was bleeding from more places then she could count. She had been too close to the car when its tank had exploded and although she had managed to escape she still caught enough of the blast that she was hurting badly and dazed. She had not felt anything strike her head but the signs all pointed to a concussion. That she was still able to move was tribute to her incredible constitution and the Devil's Root she had consumed earlier.

The blonde was obviously also a Slayer and no doubt was the very same Buffy Harris was ever so attached to. Roberta had little doubt that as long as Summers was around her ability to get to the Marines and the Slayers they were sheltering would be severely limited.

Roberta suddenly heard music, Familiar in style of not in fact. She wandered forward stumbling occasionally over the sprained ankle that was slowing her progress by forcing her to limp. Roberta noticed her eyes, already adjusted to the dark were picking up faint light coming from ahead. She moved forward and stepped through a circular archway. She was in a beautiful cathedral like the ones she'd often visit as a child.

She walked though the structure. Soft music was echoing off the walls. At the front a stand was covered in hundreds of burning candles. She stopped and looked watching the flickering candles as they burned.

"They burn for the lost and damned." a cloaked figure said. Roberta was sure that the figure had not been there a moment earlier. Yet now the cloaked soul sat in a pew.

"The lost... Who is it that has been lost?" Roberta asked,

"Your victims. The many that fell to the fearsome Bloodhound, Each candle burns in memory of someone whose death you are responsible for."

Roberta gasped and fell to her knees. "Madonna forgive me I had forgotten there was so many."

"...And yet for all the candles that burn here there is one that does not burn. Can you guess Hunting-Dog? Can you tell which of them would be for your Master?"

Roberta drew close to the candle stand and saw that yes there were many, many candles burning and yet more empty spaces where a candle had yet to be lit she reached out and took hold of a taper and tried to light a candle in memory of her master but each time she tried the flame would wink out.

"Roberta you will not be able to light that candle for Me." came the familiar voice of Diego Lovelace. He sat in the front pew. He was dressed in the same suit he had been wearing on the day he had died. Even though it was a few weeks ago to Roberta's battle weary mind it seemed like another lifetime ago; maybe it was another lifetime a better lifetime then the one she deserved. "Master Lovelace, surely I will be allowed to pray for your soul's safe journey to Madonna."

Diego laughed, "You can pray as much as you like but that candle and its neighbors will only light for the lives you have taken and will take. Since you are not to blame for my death there is no candle for me there and never will be."

"...But Master Diego I failed you. I should have seen what was coming what danger was in the air I should have seen the truth."

"You did see Roberta --you did see. When I think of all the times I have tried to get you to see the world through brighter and happier eyes then you do there is a kind of irony to the fact that to be truly useful, I will have to show you something that only the Bloodhound could have seen."

The old man reached out for Roberta's hand. Then Diego nodded toward the cloaked figure. Suddenly the walls of the church fell away.

It was the plaza again; just like that hot day when Lovelace had died. Roberta could see another version of herself and Lovelace disembarking from the car that had bone them to the gathering. Roberta could see her twin's soldier's eyes scanning the crowd as they had the day of the event.

"I should have seen it coming; I sensed something I am sure of it."

"You did sense something though and now I'm going to show you exactly what you sensed."

The old man threw out his pointing finger and Roberta saw off in the distance frozen in place the face of the Manuela. The young Slayer was looking toward the Other-Roberta and Other-Lovelace climbing from the car. The Maid looked at her again seeing her now as she had not seen her the day of the event.

"Her eyes Roberta look at her eyes."

"She has the eyes of death; I've seen this before in people I have served beside. They care nothing for anything accept killing."

"...Or being killed."

"Her eyes, she recognizes me; not just as a target. She has seen me before. How could I forget someone like this? Someone with eyes like this."

"For her you have thus far existed only in the smoke and fog of dreams."

"Can such a thing truly be?"'

"She is not like You Roberta. She is a Slayer, their legacy of the death was thrust upon her and while all who share that legacy are in some ways connected the connection for some is stronger."

"You heard the boy speak of this on the day that you first saw them." The Cloaked figure reminded her.

"So she did know something was going to happen. She saw your death before it happened and did nothing to prevent it."

"She knew I was going to die, this is true, but so did you Roberta. My death was set the moment I underestimated those against me or their desperation for the misery they traffic in."

"What do you mean?"

The Cloak held up a bottle of tequila. Roberta looked closer at it and saw something familiar in the bottom of the bottle. Smaller by far than those she had been consuming. It was still identifiable as Devil's Root. "Look familiar? Not just the plant Hunting Dog; but the bottle as well?"

In a pew in the corner of the Church, Roberta saw poor father comforting a small and sickly child. The Child was wailing until the child's poor father quieted her by giving her a tablespoon of this same tequila. Soon the child stopped crying. She had not seen her Father in so long she almost did not recognize this young man.

"He said the drink would make me feel better and that I was never to tell anyone how it happened. But after that day I felt stronger and as the years passed he would occasionally let me drink small amounts. Never too much he despised drunkenness. Each time I felt stronger and more powerful. After the bottle was gone and I could not find another that made me feel as that one had I presumed it to be the fantasies of a child and forgot about it."

"The harvest of Devil's Root has become greater in recent years. The Three who rule as one have gained much profit from that harvest of tears."

"This was why you died this thing...but why"

"You have seen its powers Roberta. Now see what else it can do."

The Cloaked man gestured toward a burning candle and Roberta saw within the flame Xander clutching his belly and dying.

"The boy he did lose to Alberto's man."

"Indeed and had he not been carrying one of the roots on his person he would be dead now. Instead he was pulled back from the brink of death."

"It has power enough to stop death, what would some pay for that kind of power. What control might the Cartels possess if they could gain control of such power? I naively assumed that I had to worry about was the drug lords and their cocaine fields it was the root Roberta that was what they were worried about drugs come and go but it takes a certain kind of misery to make ripe and fat Devils Root misery that would have disappeared had I succeeded in empowering the farmers and freeing them of the threats and intimidation of the Cartels and the FARC."

"Then the Marines..."

"... They were only puppets in service to the Three Who Rule as One; though they did not know it at the time."

"What about the Slayer."

"She is a slave Roberta though now the master she serves is Destiny and he is leading her down a pathway of blood and violence. You are on the pathway with her and if you will not serve her agenda then she will cut you down and find another that will."

"The Woman, Buffy, Xander's Friend."

"Unless you can make her see the truth she will find herself the victim of the Slayer's Agenda just as you were."

But how can I defeat her or the rest of them they are the Slayers and this Buffy, if Xander is to be believed she is the best trained of all of them."

"The Slayer is strong and she is fast but in the end, the only limit on how strong or fast a human can be is the human in question. Their desires, their determination, so Hunting Dog how strong do you really wish to be?"

The Cloak passed her the bottle of Tequila. Roberta cracked the top off it and drank half the contents. Mixed in with the burning of the alcohol was a far deeper burning. She upended the bottle over top of herself and felt the stinging of booze flowing over her wounds knitting them closed. When the bottle was empty she pulled the small devils root from the bottle and chewed on it feeling the combination of tequila and devils root flowing into her adding hot fire to her muscles and joints. She began to laugh maniacally

"Yes master," She laughed, "I will find them and tear them up; tear them all up. I swear Master." She looked around and saw herself alone and the cathedral gone. She no longer wondered if it had ever been there. Instead she was in a dank cubbyhole at a t-junction in the sewers. She looked at the now empty bottle of tequila and crushed it in her fist grinding the broken glass into her palm. Fascinated she watched as the cuts in her bleeding flesh healed almost instantaneously.

"Nothing will stop me," Roberta vowed, "I'll make them regret their mothers ever shit them out into this world. I'll tear them up; angels, demons, Slayers, I'll tear them all up." She repeated with a grim smile.


	14. Chapter 14

***

Fabiola finally finished packing for home. She had packed both her own luggage and Garcia's bags. Garcia was reluctant to leave thus The Mini-Maid was applying a little subtle pressure. By making all the arrangements herself, making sure to pick methods of transportation that would require their speedy departure; she was hoping that Garcia would quietly surrender to momentum. She looked up to see Young Lovelace standing on the balcony of their hotel suite. He had planted himself there since their return following the battle at the warehouse.

His sad eyes surveyed the pool that shimmered below and that only Fabiola had made only sparing use of since their arrival. Normally Garcia was independent making use of his maids as little as possible. Now he bleakly searched for inspiration in the pool waters below while letting Fabiola do all the work.

Sitting in the living room area was Rock and Rupert Giles the Head of the Watchers Organization. Fidgeting tirelessly between them was a young Slayer whose name Fabiola was told was Shunsi. She was hanging close to Rock and often looked at him with an adoring expression on her face. Rock for his part appeared a little uncomfortable with her attention. The Head Watcher had provided them with all the information Xander Harris had revealed about the slaving operation and its victims including the young ladies currently with the Grey Foxes. He had also provided records showing what Xander had been up to and where he had been going. While Xander had kept the Watcher's Council (which seemed to consist of Giles himself) in the dark about the extent of his activities, there was enough independent evidence including flight records and hotel receipts that Garcia was forced to admit that Xander was no assassin, just a luckless bystander.

Harris had still been in Roanapur when the conspirators who had plotted Diego Lovelace's death had begun their foul work. By the time he had arrived in Caracas to begin his search for Manuela and Maria, the plan to kill Lovelace was already well underway.

Fabiola stopped in front of the British gentleman and bowed slightly. "Thank you for your assistance. I'm sure Master Garcia does as well. I should also like that you would express our apologies to Mr. Harris. I know he would have preferred not to have become involved in the Head Housemaid's vendetta but his attempts to both absolve you of guilt and assist Mistress Roberta..."

"You and your young master have my profound condolences." Giles said politely.

"Tell me Mister Giles," Garcia asked from the balcony, "Was it very scary, the first time you confronted the truth of the things that you deal with." He spoke hesitantly and seemed anxious.

Giles could tell the boy was having a hard time adjusting to the reality of vampires and by extension the other things that The Head Watcher had long ago begun to take for granted. Giles saw no need to hammer the harsh reality of the situation home to the boy. Let him make the transition in his own time.

"Terrifying," Giles said to the bright eyed child, "...and make no mistake Garcia it still does frighten me the things which lurk in the shadows but I can assure you that I've seen ample proof that the world of men can produce their own fair share of darkness."

''I thought when I confronted the men who killed my father they would be vicious killers who had no mercy or remorse. Instead they are people not so different from those I have known and admired my whole life." Garcia turned from his ceaseless vigil on the balcony. "That man Claxton, he is a man with honour. The kind of man my father believed all soldiers should be like."

"The life of a soldier can be a hard one Master Garcia; my advice is to return home and mourn your father. Hope for the best, his dream of a free and empowered people need not die. I have little doubt that in time the people could follow you as they did your father."

"My Father was a man who had no fear. Not of the future or his choices and certainly not of the consequences of those choices. That is hard for me to understand."

"What do you mean Young Master?" Fabiola asked wringing her hands.

"Today I have seen a side of Roberta that I…" Garcia shuddered recalling Roberta's savagery in the warehouse, "...when she first displayed the abilities and talents of The Bloodhound I was frightened but I think what frightens me now is not that she kills or is so good at it ...it is that my father must have known what she was and yet took her into our home; placed her in a position of trust."

"I'm sure your father meant well.' Giles replied,

"After my first adventure in this city after I had found out about Roberta, I asked my father something. What is the difference between a warrior and a killer? He told me that a warrior kills because they have to. A killer does so because they wish to. Tell me, do you understand what he meant?"

Giles smiled, "Your Father was trying to explain a difficult concept. A Slayer brings death. That is her calling and even in the name of that calling. But the primary responsibility is protection of the innocent. Or at least that is what I have tried to instil in The Slayers I train. A slayer should kill because she has to, to defend herself or those she is protecting. When she kills for convenience or worse for pleasure then she comes very close to being as dangerous as those she hunts."

"In the warehouse I saw things, I saw Roberta do things; Terrible things. But if I am to judge her I must do so based on the whole of what I saw not just the bad. Roberta is a good person my father thought so and I have seen ample proof of it."

"Your maid does have some noble traits; my understanding is that Xander owes his life to them. But I'm not entirely sure you can still call what she is doing protection anymore."

Garcia turned to Fabiola, "You saw what I did in there. What do you think it was about? Her coming here, I mean? Was it about justice -- or something more?"

Fabiola continued to wring her hands. She too was anxious with the memory of Roberta's killing ground. "I think...I think Mistress Head maid is pursuing something important to her. I think she might be trying to atone for the things she has done as the Bloodhound."

"What do you mean?" Giles asked,

"Even in the barrio I grew up in, you heard stories about The Bloodhound. I am still amazed that I work side by side with ...someone like her. I think the things she did, they weigh on her and she wants forgiveness but she cannot seek that forgiveness from her victims so all that she can do to atone is protecting life instead of taking it."

Garcia nodded in agreement, "I have come to the same conclusion. What I find myself wondering now though is...Am I a worthy symbol of her redemption?"

"How can you say that, Master Garcia?" Fabiola said anxiously,

"Hear me out Fabiola; you placed yourself in harm's way to protect me when I came here. You have killed in my defence and in your own, something that I know disturbs you, as well it should. Roberta has come to Roanapur twice now. Both times she was here in my defence. Today I saw her beat a man to death and that was scary but what was more scary was that man, had he the opportunity, would have harmed me and thought nothing of the act."

Giles nodded thoughtfully, "You think your maid seeks redemption and uses the only tools at her disposal, namely her combat skills to achieve it."

"I have seen Mister Okajima put himself in danger because of what he believes in and your Mister Harris does the same for those girls of yours and apparently does such things regularly. Everyone fearlessly confront all that oppose them in service of their principles. Everyone that is, except for me."

"You cannot say such things Master Garcia nobody expects you to put yourself in danger for..."

"...And that is the problem," Garcia cut her off, "I talk about how much you and Roberta are family and how much I care about you all but in the end, where am I? In this stinking hotel, staring at a pool I've never swam in while you and Roberta fight for and maybe die in my name."

Suddenly the boy turned on his heel and broke in a dead run toward the balcony. Fabiola screamed as the boy vaulted the railing and went sailing over the edge. Giles and Rock joined the frantic maid on the balcony when they saw the boy arc out over the space and plummet to the surface and cutting it with surgical precision.

The adults and Maid watched for a few anxious seconds before Garcia broke the surface of the water laughing madly. As soon as she was sure the boy survived; Fabiola hopped over the railing herself. The Girl nimbly claimed down the three floors to the poolside. Giles chose the saner route of racing down the hallway with Rock and Shunsi on his heels. The men arrived moments later to find that Garcia had managed to grab his maid and drag her into the pool with him. Fabiola was sputtering and swearing to Garcia's amused delight.

Garcia seemed to relax finally leaning back in the water and floating casually. "Fabiola, I want you to cancel your arrangements. I plan on staying and seeing this through to the end. Roberta is family and I will not leave her behind, not when she needs us."

"Are you sure Master, She might not be able to come back she might be lost to us forever."

"Then I will still stand by her and help her. I came to this island to find my Roberta and bring her home. The thing I was forgetting is that Roberta loved my father as much as I did. When he died, Roberta was just as devastated by that loss as I was. Roberta needs us just as much, if not more, and then we need her."

Treading water to the side of the pool, Garcia climbed from the water followed by a silent Fabiola who finally spoke while looking at him speculatively. "I was about to give up on you. You seemed too soft, too innocent. I thought that this would destroy you and I have already lost Master Diego to this tragedy. I couldn't stand the thought of sitting idly while you fell into darkness..."

"And Now?"

"More than ever I think like Master Diego you believe you can save her and maybe that might be the thing that brings her back to us." Fabiola hugged Garcia fiercely "Wherever this leads Young Master I will follow. I won't abandon you or the Head maid to this disgraceful city."

"So we are agreed, we will save her no matter what?" Garcia said looking into her eyes.

Fabiola shuddered at the weight of her choice. And that it felt so right to follow this young boy in his insanity. "We will save her and bring her home if we can."

Giles sighed with relief, "Well if that's sorted out can we maybe avoid doing any more acrobatics over the balcony? Honestly, had you broken your neck on that dive I can't say your Roberta wouldn't be justified in coming after us all again?"

They began the walk back to the hotel room. "Mister Giles, when this is over I'm sure Roberta will want to find some way of apologizing for jumping to conclusions about your people."

"Garcia I have been a watcher for many years now and I can say with accuracy that there is good and bad in everyone, some more than others. As you yourself said earlier you have to look at the sum of their actions and judge them."

Fabiola raced ahead to open the door to the suite. Instead of waiting for them she disappeared inside followed shortly afterward by a dull thud from the room.

Shunsi stopped. She seemed anxious and a little suspicious of something. Rock stopped and asked her what was bothering her. She seemed unable to speak of her upset but was determined to hold up Rock. Garcia and Giles reached the suite ahead of him.

"Mr. Giles I need a minute something is bothering Shunsi."

Giles was paused at the door. "I suspect I know what is bothering her but I'll need you to come along anyway." He said grimly

Rock pulled the resistant Slayer up the hallway and paused at the door.

Inside Rock saw that Fabiola was on the floor of the suite she had obviously been attacked suddenly and then hurled to the floor by a woman holding her throat in one fist while covering Giles and Garcia with the gun held in the other. Her implied threat was clear. The young Maid cried out before The Woman tightened her hand and choked off her words. The intruder was Manuela. She was still dressed in the army fatigues that the Grey Foxes had provided her but she was clearly following a new more sinister agenda.

A large built Chinese man came from the other room. He was dressed in a military uniform. He was also armed but seemed comfortable with not displaying his weapon aggressively.

"Thank you Manuela, you've done very well." He smiled indulgently and squeezed her shoulder, "Mister Giles, Mister Okajima My name is Sheu Yan. My understanding is that you saw fit recently to interfere in one of my business ventures in the area and I would like to discuss the matter. It would be to the young miss' benefit if we could avoid any -- unpleasantness."

***


	15. Chapter 15

xxx

On Roberta's first visit to Roanapur, She had arrived in the morning and spent the day looking for the Colombian Mafia who had kidnapped Garcia. She had walked around the town, talked to people and gotten the lay of the land. She had, of course, been memorizing every street and alleyway for tactical use later.

That was why she knew that less then a block from the warehouse district on the way to the port was an illegal arms cache owned by someone with good taste in weapons and poor taste in locks. While his supplies weren't anywhere near as impressive as The Church of Violence, what he had would more then suffice for Roberta to replace and reload her equipment.

She effortlessly picked the lock on the gate that barred entry to the shop at that late hour.

Within minutes she'd replaced her auto pistols and cleaned out his supply of clips taking extended auto loaders as well. She also selected an automatic shotgun. In design it looked not unlike the one that she'd had modified to look like a common parasol and had used so effectively on her first rampage though this city. She selected a sniper rifle. It was not as powerful as the Barret but it would do the job. She added them all to a rapidly filling duffel bag that she'd found in the corner.

That was when she saw them. Military issue Bayonet swords.

Someone had devoted many hours to their upkeep. The edges were viciously sharp; someone had even included a set of holders that would allow the things to hang at her hip. Roberta's vast combat experience included a session of bayonet fighting. Against a Slayer, common bayonet fighting would be useless. But as she had observed Slayers preferred close quarter fighting relying on their speed, strength and stamina to overcome their opponents.

Roberta smiled, tactically that gave her the advantage. She was deadly from almost any distance. Even the witch Rosenberg would need line of sight and concentration time to equip any suitably dangerous magic.

Quick surgical strikes were her best defence and weapon. Summers was the leader and therefore the dangerous one. Cut off from her, the other Slayers would panic. Panicked enemies were much easier to deal with. Roberta had already encountered enough Slayers she knew what to expect. It would just be a matter of stamina vs. stamina. Will vs. will and Roberta's will, her desire for vengeance and justice was strong.

When she heard the sound of a shotgun being racked and cocked she didn't even flinch. She was well aware she was not alone and had heard the owner approaching even despite his attempts to remain quiet and stealthy in his movements.

"Bad Luck Girl, I ain't the type you want to be stealing from." the old man hissed his voice thick with the booze that had no doubt kept him form hearing her breaking in earlier.

"I'm making a purchase," Roberta explained as she zipped up the duffel bag.

"Customers come when the place is open. And they generally don't monkey with my lock." The Owner whined his gun wavering slightly in its targeting of her back.

"Customers come when they come and in Roanapur the only thing anyone cares about is if a customer can pay..." Roberta held up a wad of cash. Enough big bills could be seen that the old man was quickly mollified. "I assure you I am such a customer."

He lowered the shotgun and snatched the wad from her fingers. His alcohol seeped eyes cleared enough apparently to recall her first visit to the town. "You looked nicer in the maid's outfit. It was kind of classy and all. Way you look now I'd as likely bury ya as anything else."

Roberta looked at her gore covered civilian garb and shrugged indifferently, "You may get your chance."

"It's usually good policy not to ask why someone is buying an arsenal at this hour of the night. But ..."

"You will have no conflicts with the Russian or Chinese Mafia They'll soon have far bigger concerns."

"I ask Hunting-Dog, because you've chosen a pathway that is a dark and twisting one. If you lose your way this time, you might not find the pathway back to the light."

Roberta turned with a rebuke on her lips to find the man flat on his back his shallow breathing and pasty complexion said that he was passed out and had been for some time. Roberta had seen enough drunkards to know that he shouldn't have been able to move, let alone speak. Either she was seeing things again or something else had empowered his carcass to speak and act in its stead.

"Either way," She thought to herself, "I will see this war though to the end no matter what I will see Master Diego avenged."

Clutching the tools of her vengeance in her hand, Roberta slipped back into the night leaving the comatose shopkeeper behind.

xxx

After Giles and Rock had departed with Lovelace and Fabiola, the group had begun heading out with Hotel Moscow's troops covering the streets. Buffy and Willow were not alone having brought a small strike team of Slayers with them. The girls were buzzing with excitement, for many this was their first time in the field with the legendary first team of Slaying.

They got to witness a genuine freak-out as Buffy and Willow engaged in a little classic tag team ranting at Xander. One would yell incoherently at him while the other was taking a breath then they would switch.

Others were impressed by Faith who, despite her mauling at the hands of the demented Roberta, still carried herself with an air of cool menace. The razor sharp Katana helped considerably.

The Slayers were anxious that one of their own could be manhandled so easily by a normal human being. Xander would have quietly pointed out that such a reality check was good for them all but at the moment he was wisely keeping his opinions to himself allowing Buffy and Willow to rant on until they both ran out of steam.

Also drawing a fair share of fascinated interest were Rotton who had recovered almost completely from Roberta's vicious attack. The secret was the hard plastic codpiece that he wore and had BEEN wearing for some time. Apparently he always assumed someone would attack his groin one day and as he replied to Faith's incredulous stare. "I believe in being prepared."

Faith saw no need to warn her Slayer sisters that Rotton was effectively spoken for. Sawyer and Shenhua were flanking him as they walked and combined they exuded such an air of grim menace that Faith quietly reminded herself to take some notes.

Revy was also projecting badass like it was perfume. She alternated between cussing out Xander for dragging them into yet another weird situation and bitching to Balalaika about the missed opportunities for profit. Hotel Moscow's leader was clear, she would deal harshly and permanently with anyone who crossed or defied her in her decision to aid the Grey Foxes in their departure.

Still the trip was not all companionable banter and that was what eventually got Buffy started again. "What the hell is up with you two?" Buffy was finally tired of the dark glances Xander and Riley were firing back and forth.

The Grey Foxes were heading toward the port. While they were not under guard exactly, it was made clear however that straying too far from the protection of Balalaika's commandos would be a bad idea. Claxton wasn't arguing the point since everyone was obviously still freaked by both the ferocity and then sudden disappearance of The Maid.

During the journey Xander and Riley had been continuing their not so subtle hostility.

"Ask Harriet Tubman over there," Xander snapped, "He's the one who thinks turning slaves in to Red Shirts is doing them a favour."

"I've had just about enough of your crap Harris. I was following orders and besides it's not like I forced them into this. According to Dinkins Manuela practically begged to come along. Said they wouldn't be able to finish their mission without her. I'd say that was right all things considered..."

"All what things considered?" Willow asked

"Capitan White Bread here claims that nobody told the GI-Joes that Diego Lovelace had an ex-terrorist in residence."

"Considering the body count the two of you have racked up thus far I'd say she's not nearly as retired from killing as you'd like us to believe. Manuela was pretty banged up after her encounter with the both of you and I doubt that was all your work."

"I'd like to know how she knew about this Maid. And where is she anyway?" Buffy asked looking around for the absent girl.

Riley waved her off, "She wonders off sometimes, but she always manages to come back or find us. Manuela's been very insightful. Her predictive abilities are almost off the charts. Better then yours."

Xander snapped, "Yeah, so good she sometimes think she sees things other Slayers have experienced. Don't forget that part."

"Will you let that go; it's not like I told her to kill you."

"Dinkins told me you were their handler; if you didn't order her to kill me, who did?"

"That would have been Dinkins; He was in charge of that operation." Claxton smiled wryly. "This is why you should never trust information gained through ...enhanced interrogation."

"I told him not to," Riley explained to the shocked Buffy, "I told him that trying to kill Xander would just cause problems down the road but Of course he pulled the whole secret operation-no witnesses thing."

"What I don't get is -- why off the old man in the first place," Revy growled "seems like the kind of guy you'd want to get on the good side of not kill."

"We had solid Intel that he was cartel puppet, that if we allowed his actions to move forward the cartel and the F-A-R-C would get a better hold on the drug production and trade coming out of the country. Washington was very interested in preventing that at all costs."

Xander snorted in laughter, "Your kidding right, Lovelace hated the cartels. That was probably why he took Roberta into his home. She hates the F-A-R-C especially that they are step-and-fetch boys for the cartel."

"Not anymore they aren't; intelligence shows that they found themselves new backing; new benefactors with deep pockets."

Xander asked the obvious question, "How deep are we talking here?"

Riley smiled grimly, "Deep enough that they'll be able to finance turning most of South America into one giant cocaine field with slave workers harvesting every acre."

"Where were the slaves supposed to come from? The ones helping them harvest all the coke?"

"Lucentes and Dinkins said that the Triad was bankrolling a camp with slaves stronger and tougher then any other. Dinkins checked it out and bought our two slayers as physical evidence of what they were up to."

Shenhua snapped defensively, "Boss Chang no slaver -- he hate Triad Slave business. Xui Han was man in charge. If he say Boss Chang was slave trader he was liar as well as scumbag."

"Triads are a big operation sometime the right hand doesn't know what the left foot is doing.

"Well there is a fast and easy way to find out isn't there." Balalaika pulled out a mobile phone and dialled a number. Chang answered quickly.

"Well if it isn't my favourite Russian crime boss," The overly cheery crime lord said over the line.

"I'm nothing but a legitimate business woman. " Hotel Moscow's leader said with a sardonic grin on her face.

Chang amended himself laughingly "Excuse me, legitimate trader in foreign goods."

"According to the Marines you and your brotherhood have been branching into trading yourselves."

"Yeah I was hoping to get that cleaned before the Watchers got here. I was especially hoping that you wouldn't find out since you tend to take such things as a direct challenge to your power base."

"Spare me the diplomacy what's going on?"

"Sheu Yan sits on one of the bigger patches of poppy field in Asia and that makes him very important and influential. He confirmed he was bank rolling that forced labour camp that was in our backyard. Of course I was a little pissed when I found out and was kind of insolent to him so now he wants payback."

"What made him think he could do that and get away with it?"

"He's convinced the Triad bosses that if I was a real man I would have among other things sent you packing a long time ago. He's made no bones about how he'd kick you out if he was here and then take over the running of Roanapur for himself."

"Really," Balalaika said coldly.

"Well haven't you heard? I'm weak. I take crap from a vodka soaked fry-faced bitch -that's a direct quote from their last meeting -- These morons don't get that we have to keep the peace around here or everyone loses."

"You've lost the support of the triad bosses then."

"Let's just say they are officially staying out of this. The General has found a new business model that doesn't involve the Triad Bosses. That's pissed some of them off since he's not sharing any of the profit. They've let it be known that if things get – interesting around here they'd… overlook --the repercussions. Would you believe he even threatened to burn his poppy fields when they wouldn't back off?"

"Burn his fields? What is he selling if it isn't drugs?"

"Hell if I know; but I guess you were right. All that peaceful co-existence crap I spew got me in trouble just like you keep hinting would happen."

"I don't believe for a second that you are sitting around crying into your booze. You say you pulled your people off the streets. I can only think of one reason why you wouldn't want to field a force to deal with an attack on your territory. You think I'm going to fight your war for you."

"Well I admit it doesn't take a genius to know that the Grey Foxes wouldn't be happy that their target came waltzing into town and they ran like scared rabbits. As for the Watchers, I'm betting The Cheerleader they got leading them might want to have a few words with the General. I already know how YOU feel about being challenged, so really what's the benefit of me putting my people into the meat grinder."

Balalaika smiled grimly, "You manipulative son of a bitch."

You could almost hear Chang smile. "You could always leave me twisting in the wind."

Hotel Moscow's leader gave a harsh bark of laughter, "A foreign aggressor on my turf who insults me and challenges my authority?"

"You know how some people can be Balalaika, they get a little money and power and they think they own the world. Do me a favour you old Cossack and don't die. Ohh and call me when you're ready to cut him up I want to hear him beg you for his life."

Xander smiled wryly "Sounds like we have a problem."

"Are you saying that the guy behind the slave camp is in town ...now?" Buffy asked coldly

Balalaika nodded "...along with a several dozen mercenaries he doesn't yet know are walking dead men."

She issued orders to her men in Russian. Hotel Moscow's troops fanned out separating into squads arming for war. She turned to Xander. "Mr. Harris, Major General Claxton is leaving Roanapur. Can I count on you to see that his departure is as quick as possible?"

"If it's all the same to you ma'am I'd like to stay." Claxton interrupted grimly "My people have expended a lot of time effort and energy to tag and bag this asshole and now that he's within reach I want to see this through."

"The point of getting you out of the city is to end your war with the Maid. As long as you are here she still has reason enough to hunt you."

"Don't worry bout her," Buffy said confidently, "My people will cover the Marines to the port. If this Maid makes a move, we can handle her."

Revy cackled "That's a laugh, trust me cheerleader you haven't seen what this bitch is capable of."

"She's a thug and a terrorist I'm not that impressed so far." Buffy snapped dismissively.

Xander looked at his friend incredulously, "No Buffy, you can not do that. You cannot underestimate her." He took her shoulders to make sure they were looking at each other, "Look Hun, you remember Angel? Well this chick is only a few years older then we are and she already has a kill count that would make Angel and Spike sit up and take notice. Right now she cares about only two things." he pointed at the marines and the Slayer Maria. "...And guess what Buffy we the only things keeping her from getting to them."

"She can't take on all of us." Buffy insisted.

"She doesn't have to," Revy muttered, "All she has to do is take you out and I don't care how bad ass you are. A bullet fired from a kilometre away, kills you just as dead as one fired point blank range."

The group chewed on that news for a while. Willow complained of being hungry. Having left Scotland she said before she could finish eating. Xander reached out as they passed a closed fruit market.

"I wouldn't trust most of the food they serve here but this looks edible." he smiled as he tossed her an apple.

The fruit exploded right in front of the Willow who screamed and startled. There was a whizzing sound and dust at their feet kicked up. Someone had sniped at them from afar. Xander's random toss had been their only warning of the oncoming bullet.

"It's her... I'm on it get them to the port." Buffy snapped pointing at the marines. Then she tore off at a run leaving Xander screaming at her to stop.

What's wrong if she attacking us and she's as tough as you say ..."

"She is and she wasn't the one firing at us."

"How can you tell?"

"Cause Glasses Bitch doesn't miss. Take it from someone who knows a thing or to about guns. I don't care how lucky you and Xander normally are a Sniper as good at The Maid doesn't miss especially a fluke miss like that one.

"She wouldn't make the shot until she had us dead to rights."

Riley nodded in understanding. "This area is all wrong for an ambush there are too many places where we could hide."

Balalaiak nodded "...and not enough places were she could hide. No sniper worth the title would fire on us here."

"Then who shot at us?" Willow asked,

Xander asked thoughtfully, "I got a better question why arent they still shooting at us. There hasn't been a follow up attack. that doesn't make sense."

"Maybe that's your answer over there." Rotton answered pointing down the dark street.

Figures were shuffling toward them. Their bodies seemed deformed somehow. They were all holding a wide assortment of weapons which several of them raised to open fire on the group.

"OK, who ordered the attack of the waking dead? Cause I know that was not me." Xander deadpanned.

Indeed the dead in Roanapur were walking and although their ranks consisted of people from every era that had called the island home many of them were those who had died that very day.

Revy turned and punched Xander hard in the shoulder. "Why is it this kind of crap only happens when your Dumb Ass shows itself? What are you some kind of trouble magnet or something?"

Willow was forced to snicker. "Oh honey, you have no idea."


	16. Chapter 16

***

The team ran though the streets slaughtering zombies as they went. It quickly became obvious that as one fell, two would raise to take its place. Eventually they quickly realized that if they avoided them, the shuffling hordes would often pass them by unmolested.

"This is stupid. We keep going like this and we are screwed." Xander sighed

"There has to be a way to destroy these assholes." Revy grumbled while taking yet another pot-shot at a zombie. This one was, like all the rest, unaffected by her conventional weaponry.

Xander turned to Willow whose tiredness was written across her face. "Willis you got any juice left?" he asked already knowing what her answer would be.

Willow shook her head, "I'm still getting my batteries back to speed after the fight at the warehouse not to mention the struggle it was to teleport everyone here in the first place."

"Not to rain on the parade," Revy snapped, "But there is a hell of a lot of crap going down and I'm not killing anything and to me, that is just …wrong on way too many levels. "

"Hate to be the guy to break it to you Revy but your Cutlasses are basically useless against zombies and I don't see you pulling a shotgun out of your back pockets anytime soon." Xander said thoughtfully.

"Well we got a solution right around the corner from here...Justine's in town; why not hit the MickeyD's"

Xander shuddered at her words. "Revy you aren't seriously planning on bringing those lunatics into this are you?"

Revy shook her head, "Nah, I'd like the town to still be standing when this crap is over I'm just talking about a shopping trip."

"Why are we heading for a McDonalds in the middle of a crisis?" Willow whined, "I mean if we got to stop for fast food there's got to be a something a little healthier."

Xander explained, "When McDonalds started expanding into Asian markets they had trouble with the locals. People live differently here and I'm sure you will not be surprised to know that the Triads either own or are partners in many of the fast food restaurants in this part of the world."

Revy picked up the story, "Every time McPutrid opened a location on triad owned property a couple of goons would show up and start leaning on the employees and customers until they got the not welcome message."

Rotton filled in more of the tale, "The Story goes that McDonalds corporate decided that the best way to deal with the threat was to hire muscle to protect the restaurants."

"The idea worked well," Xander nodded, "until that is, they decided they wanted to expand to Roanapur. A lot of money flows though here so on the paper it makes sense to want to get a piece of the market but most of that money is illegal and local gang leaders started leaning on the owners and employees for protection or to push them out of the city."

Revy smiled evilly, "No standard bodyguard is stupid enough to work this city without a lot of upfront money. So they started shopping for talent. Looking for the kind of people who can survive in Roanapur and who wouldn't be intimidated by the kind of people who live here." With this Revy stopped at a door and pounded on it loudly "Hey Justine you dizzy bitch. It's Rebecca of Lagoon Company we need ya for a second. Open the damn door."

Latches were pulled and door opened to reveal a smallish young woman who was pale with dark hair. She looked an awful lot like Sawyer and the two smiled ghoulishly at each other. The restaurant looked like any McDonalds anywhere in the world the plastic tables and chairs the day-glow colouring and graphics even a set of pictures on the wall. One of them showed a smiling version of their annoyed host. The name under the picture identified the woman as one Justine Arthur Soles. She was apparently the current employee of the month.

Revy boldly shoved on the half open door pushing past the woman who fixed her with a cold stare.

"What are you doing Two-Hands, It's late." She looked at Xander who smiled sheepishly at her, "Xander Harris back in town. I suppose I shouldn't be surprised that it sounds like World War Three was being waged on the next block."

"Now Justine, let's be fair I did not deliberately scam you guys. How was I supposed to know the Yakuza would still be pissed with me."

"A Yakuza Princess, of all the people you had to get involved with, you pick a deranged Yak princess."

"What was she doing in that Host club anyway?" Xander replied defensively.

"What were you doing in a Host Club?" Willow asked

"I was stranded in Japan." Xander said defensively, "I needed Money. They said all I would have to do was look pretty and make conversation."

Justine snorted, "What kind of a moron thinks that conversation is all they'll be asked for in a host club in the Shinjuku district." she snapped,

"Do you know anything about this?" Willow asked an amused Faith who held up her hands.

"I got the story from Dutch. That whole stripping in Oxnard thing, let's just say he did some major editing of that story for content."

Xander sighed he had dreaded the fall out when his actions the summer after graduation became generally known.

"What the hell is he doing back here anyway?" Justine snapped pointing a finger at Xander.

"Why does he ever show his ugly mug around here, JS?" Revy smiled, "We got creepy crawlies on the march and I could use some creepy crawly killers."

"I'm I running a charity here. I loan to you what's to say that everyone else isn't going to start trying to scam weapons off me as well?"

"You mean other then the fact you are a violent sociopath with a sadistic streak and an awesome amount of guns."

"You say that as if it was a bad thing." The Mercenary snapped.

Balalaika smiled indulgently, "Miss Soles, you can put anything Revy BORROWS" the Russian emphasised the words, "on the Hotel Moscow tab consider it a personal favour. One I'll be inclined to remember."

"OK fine." the woman snapped grumpily and stalked back into the kitchen while motioning everyone to follow.

Xander watched as she put on a thick robber glove and plunged her hand in to steaming hot fry vat she seemed to feel around inside and must have turned a switch because the fry vat and indeed every other piece of kitchen equipment swivelled aside. Gleaming weapons rose from the recessed of the walls and floors.

Revy began drooling over an ornate set of pistols in a display case. The Weapons were a beautiful set of pistols which had been modified to have clear receptacles attached to them and a wickedly long needle set in the base that ran parallel to the barrel. But Justine shook her head.

"Forget it, two hands you aren't nearly crazy enough to want those no matter how dangerous you normally are."

"What are they those look incredible." Revy responded an almost awe-struck shudder in her voice.

"I'm holding those for a Client." Justine maintained crossing her arms and doing a credible resolve face for someone who had only just met Willow.

"Are those REAL Carpathian Dragons?" Xander asked finally getting good look at the fabled weapons in the display case. "My god I thought those were just legendary."

"That's what people like YOU are supposed to think." Justine smiled widely. "They are Vampire's Weapons after all." She escorted the group away from the display case leaving Xander to drag a whining Revy away from the beautiful but deadly weapons.

"You know about these things?" She asked

"Hello, you play step-and-fetch boy for Dracula for a year you pick up a few things. Drac told me they're weapons designed for the use of vampire fighters exclusively. You load it by shoving the long needle into someone and the guns literally drink their blood. then the blood is alchemically transformed into almost any kind of load-out you need including auto gun fire, shot gun blasts, some real nasty stuff."

"Mommy wants." Revy said lustfully

"You obviously weren't listening to the important part of that rant. The guns have to be fed as in with real blood and if you don't they start to feed on the person holding them. That's why they're considered a vampire weapon. Only a vampire can replace the supplies of blood you need to fire the damn things."

"Hey junior, do I look like someone who'd let a little thing like ammo supply stand in the way of a good time."

Xander looked at her, "I thought you were the one who was all about I-don't-need-to-be-a demon-to-be-a-monster."

"Only an idiot turns their back on an advantage once they have it."

Xander turned on his heel, "I'm starting to remember why you scare the crap out of me, Revy."

* * *

For a madman with a penchant for genocide, the General was a genial host. He was honest about the fact that this would not be a permanent thing. As soon as they were joined by Xander Harris and he had rounded up the Slayers that had been freed from the slave camp they would see an altogether different side to his demeanour.

Until then he felt they should take advantage of his good humour. "You should relax Mister Okajima," He said to the obviously agitated Rock, "Someone who spends as much time in this nest of vipers should be more relaxed."

Rock ignored the General and turned to Manuela. "Why are you doing this we can help you. I know things have been tough for you but we can change that."

"You can't help me," Manuela responded coldly, "I've known that since the day I saw you rescue me off that ship on the ocean."

"My dear I have things to discuss with Mister Okajima and Mister Giles."

Manuela nodded and took Garcia into the other room. She pointed out it would easier to insure the co-operation of the others if Garcia's fate was a more unknown factor.

Sheu Yan agreed as he shook his radio with frustration.

"Problems?" Giles asked innocently.

"My men, the squad I dispatched to the street to fetch your Mister Harris to me they haven't reported in."

"Maybe they ran into a problem I'm hoping a several problems."

"Listen to yourself," The General sneered, "Are we really that different you and I? I am honest with what I want those girls for. You, you convince them that fighting and dying for some CAUSE to protect people who are beneath them is some great privilege."

"You think living as slaves is an improvement?"

"They're already slaves I'm just giving them the chance to serve the kindest master they'll ever know. In war all are equal from the greatest general to the lowest recruit. War and conflict make freemen of us all. It's peacetime that makes us slaves."

Giles found it easy to channel Xander at this point, "You'll forgive my inability to accept battle philosophy from a pimp."

"Pimp," The General acted insulted, "If all I wanted in life was to sell the asses of young girls and sissy-boys in the streets I could be in Bangkok with an army of whores who would beg to give their money to me."

"You kidnapped women, raped them until they would submit to anything to avoid the pain and then sold their lives to people as corrupt as you."

"...but I never sold your Slayers. I mean how long do you think it would take your average super powered sex slave to figure out that she was stronger and faster then her owner. How stupid do you think I really am? My subordinates sold a few girls who they SAID were Slayers but that was about ---what do you westerners call it? --brand power."

"If you weren't selling slayers for sex then why sell them at all.

"I'm looking to the future. There is a war coming Mr. Giles, a war unlike any that the world has ever seen and I want to be on the front lines, but my government they are fools. They don't see the opportunities for real power. The right man could remake himself as a new emperor and your slayer will make it happen."

"I don't think so." Giles rose up and stalked toward the general who smiled at him wolfishly.

"You forget I have the boy -- Manuela, Hurt the boy reminds Mister Giles of his place in the scheme of things."

There as no answer from the room as Giles got close enough to punch the General and send him sprawling.

"I'm guessing they are gone, and have been for some time I only submitted to your vile presence to give her time to take the boy away from you." He aimed a kick to the General's side. "Now who was picking up the tab or this little adventure I doubt you could make all this happen Who's holding your bollocks you cretin. Tell me."

The General laughed even as he grunted from the pain of Giles attack, "You forget I'm a soldier I've felt pain as bad as can be felt you think a few prick from an soft Westerner can make me tell you anything."

"Let me." Fabiola hissed

"You think I'm going to talk to you little girl."

"I'm a little girl; I've spent the last several years learning everything the Bloodhound of Florencia had to teach I assure you information extraction was one of them."

The General looked nervous "The Bloodhound."

Rock grabbed Giles, "II have seen what someone who undergoes the Bloodhound's kind of interrogation suffers I think it best that we leave the room this will not be pretty."

"Wait, wait, I Can tell you what the Lawyers are after here."

"The Lawyers?" Rock asked mystified.

Giles picked the man off the ground and hurled him into a chair. "Why would Wolfram and Hart trust cannon fodder like you with their real agenda on this island?"

"Because I'm to get the island to run after they are done. All they wanted was the plants and The Old One gone. After that, the place is mine to do with as I please."

Giles nodded, "Miss Iglasisas could you check and see if Garcia or the Slayer left anything behind."

The mini-maid tuned and sprinted into the room. She was gone for only a few moments. When she returned, she was clutching a piece of paper in her hand.

"There was only this; a letter of some kind."

Giles read the note out loud, "Thank you for your assistance General. The boy will be very useful to me. In repayment, I will let you know that your contract with the Senior Partners has been terminated and they have activated their perpetual service option with several of the forces that were sent here today including your own troops. I have taken the liberty of including your Swiss bank account number along with this note, should the Watchers survive they will find both the transaction records and the contents of the account most helpful."

"Who are the Senior Partners; and what is a perpetual service option." Rock asked

"The Senior Partners are the earthly manifestation of extra-dimensional beings who call themselves The Wolf, The Ram and the Hart...you would know them here as the international law firm Wolfram and Hart. As for the service option, that is a polite term for service beyond death. Way beyond. Ms Iglesias who many F-A-R-C would you say were killed in the warehouse today."

"Dozens, many dozens I would say. "

"Two squads maybe three with someone like the Bloodhound to hunt I would doubt they'd send any less. That means thirty six maybe forty-eight potential bodies." he dug into his pocket and removed from it a small headset that he screwed into his ear "Hello please tell me this hellish thing is actually working?"

"Giles," Xander said though the line "Man it is good to hear your voice old man."

"Xander where are you and the others."

"We are holed up at a McDonalds don't ask it's a long story."

Giles gave an annoyed sigh, "Does it have anything to do with the undead traipsing around the streets."

Xander blushed, "OK I guess the story will be a lot easier to explain then I thought."

"Indeed, Wolfram and Hart are looking for something on the island I think it's an Old One."

"The Three who rule as one ...so that was what that meant G-man I think I know where what their searching for is. It's the Church of Violence. "

"Then we have to get there before the forces of the Senior Partners do. Whatever they want out of there is likely to be bad news for all of us if they get it."

"Problem with that is that Buffy took off after Roberta those two are not going to back down for anything less then a full blown apocalypse."

"Fabiola is there any way to get Roberta to stop fighting a guaranteed method I mean."

The Maid nodded "If Mistress Head-maid knows that The Young Master is in harms way she'll divert from whatever she is involved with to deal with that."

"Xander?" Giles asked in for confirmation.

"I heard," Xander answered, "She's right assuming Roberta's in her right mind Garcia is the only one she would drop everything to save. "

"Then I would suggest you get moving." Giles puffed in frustration, "I'm sorry what are you doing at McDonalds at a time like this?"

"We're getting take-out."

* * *

Buffy darted through the night.

She had found the snipers nest quickly enough but it was just an undead soldier gibbering at her. The Sniper rifle in his hands was an old weapon just like the many being wielded by the various creatures stalking the streets.

She cut the thing down anyway and began fighting to rejoin the group. But her senses were going wild. She could feel the decay of the city around her. This place was steeped in ...evil? No it didn't feel like evil as much as a rot that was in the air in every breath. She stretched out her senses into the dark. Probing the shadows for any trace of the woman she had seen earlier this Maid.

Buffy was still not entirely sold on this woman and the danger she represented. Sure Xander's insight was a valuable resource she had learned to rely on. Still Xander Harris was the king of hyperbole. Was she fast, obviously she was? Was she dangerous, to judge from the articles Buffy had seen on-line before coming here yeah she was no lightweight. But still once you had gone toe to toe with a Hell Goddess and lived to tell about it. (So to speak,) the bad guys kind of had to raise their game a little.

Two scantily clad women ran though the street past The Slayer. Two Zombies were hot on their heels spaying gunfire in the air and talking about skinning the females.

A disgusted Buffy lashed out, cutting one down in mid-stride. She was turning to take out the other when his head exploded with a roar of shotgun fire.

Suddenly The Maid was there appearing as if by magic from the shadows she racked the slide on the shotgun chambering another round. The weapon was not quite pointed at her but it was obvious where Roberta intended the next shot to go should she have to.

Buffy and Roberta stood regarding each other.

"You are shorter then I expected." Buffy muttered

"Where is the girl? I have no quarrel with you I just want the Slayer." Roberta said quietly

"See right there you already have a problem I mean; even now when people ask for the Slayer

They're usually referring to me. I'm thinking I might need some serious re-branding."

"How can you not see what she is?" Roberta growled. "Can you not see that she is dangerous?"

"The only dangerous thing I see here is you." Buffy snapped, "I saw the pictures, the embassy bombing was nice piece of work."

Roberta's eyes narrowed, "I believed what I was doing was right. How could you know? I doubt you have ever gone to bed with an empty belly. Watched as the wealthy and powerful filled their pockets and mouths with the fruit of your labour while giving you nothing in return save for empty promises."

"Blah, blah evil indolent westerner; what is it with people like you? I don't get what I want in life I bitch and whine and then I move on with my life. When has blowing people up and killing women and children ever accomplished anything."

"Why not ask Washington, Jefferson and your other founding fathers...Oh yes, I forget they are not terrorists, insurgents and killers. They were patriots and liberators."

"is that why you're here, you protecting someone cause the only danger that kid who worries after you was ever in was from you."

"You have no right to judge me. You don't know me. You have no idea who I am what I have seen. The Lovelace's took me in and protected me when I should have been despised and shunned. He was kind and loving in a world that despises such things and what was his reward. To be murdered while so-called champions watched from the sidelines and did nothing."

"That was not our fault."

"There are now a whole world filled with women like you was this not your doing or was I misinformed."

"If someone gets to those girls and abuses them or forces them to abuse their ability. That is not my responsibility."

"How convenient; now you no longer sound like an arrogant westerner now you sound like every arrogant revolutionary I ever fought beside. How long I wonder till you are killing in the name of your just and righteous cause."

"Here is how this works." Buffy hissed, "You are not killing any Slayers today you have a problem with that plan your going to have to go though me."

"Be honest, you've been wondering how this would go since you found out about me, since you saw what I could do. You've wondered. I know I have been wondering since Xander first spoke of you."

The two warriors stood with tense anticipation. Every muscle tensed.

Roberta knew that her advantage lay with the fact she had brought guns to this battle. She swiftly levelled the shotgun firing a round. Buffy's body seemed not so much to dodge as it blurred. Roberta tracked the moving shadow pumping round upon round at it but Buffy was incredibly fast.

The two circled each other Roberta firing until the shotgun clicked empty. Buffy swept in the edge of her scythe gleaming with deadly intent. She was surprised when her sweeping strike whistled through air as Roberta weaved out of the way.

Roberta lashed out in a kick that sent Buffy sailing away. Her hurtling body was followed by bullets as Roberta sent a hail of auto pistol fire chasing her through the air.

Buffy twisted her body around and away from the assault hitting the ground and coming back toward her closing the distance in the flash. She reached out to crush Roberta fists but the Maid darted her tensed fingers out to land a blow on Buffy's shoulder causing her entire arm to go numb.

Buffy picked her up and threw her as hard as her remaining arm could through the plate glass window of a vacant store. She jumped though the shattered window landing in the semi-darkness. Roberta was already back on her feet and coming toward her in a relentless stride. Buffy could see the wounds she had sustained going through the window healing even as she walked.

"The secret to defeating any opponent Senorita Summers is not about skill, or ability. It is about strength of will.

"Then I guess we are about to find out which of us wants to win badly enough." Buffy smiled grimy falling into a defensive stance.

"Indeed we will Senorita, Indeed we will."

* * *

Garcia wasn't sure where Manuela had learned to hot-wire a moped but they were making good time to ....wherever it was they were going. Garcia occasionally considered jumping from the bike but the streets were rapidly filling with creatures that Manuela assured him were real zombies.

"Why did you take me from the hotel are you working what General?"

"He was meant to think so. It made it easier to get close to you and get his banking information."

"So if you aren't working for him who are you working for?"

I'm working for me Young Master I am pursing my own agenda and you are a very important part of that plan.

"Roberta will find me you know."

"I have every faith that your maid will come for you soon. Do you know anything at all about your Catholic religion?"

"A little," Garcia answered "Why?"

"Did you know that Jesus allowed himself to be sacrificed as part of the ceremony of atonement by taking the sins of the world on himself he offers believer the opportunity to be cleansed from sin. The interesting thing is that atonement is a practice older then Christianity. Religions and gods older then you can imagine have always known only by using the truly pure and innocent is one cleansed of sin."

"So that's why I'm here your going to offer me to some ...thing?"

"You are here because I want death. I want it more then you can ever know and you are going help me make it happen."


	17. Chapter 17

***

Xander joined the others as Sawyer was replacing the chain on her beloved Chainsaw and Shenhua replaced her shattered kukri blade with new and deadly sharp long blades.

"Let's See crazy Maid bite her way though these." Shenhua smiled wolfishly.

From the lack of discussion about money Xander assumed that Justine still had an oddly affectionate relationship going with the Taiwanese Murderess and the Gothic attired Cleaner. She even was managing to bond with Rotton the Wizard though Xander suspected that had more to do with the man's quirky yet dapper manner. Half the Slayers in the team were already tossing huge moon eyes at the man.

One of the Grey Foxes, Sanchez was his name if Xander recalled correctly was tapping away at a mini laptop. He noticed Xander looking at him and blushed sheepishly. "Just checking my e-mail, its programmed to let me know if I'm in a hot-spot."

Xander nodded , "Incidentally can you hack a PDA?" He handed him the unit he had taken from the dead FARC guerrilla. "Experience tells me knowing what's on that thing might come in handy."

Sanchez nodded, "Experience is very smart, give me a second."

Xander noticed Willow looking around the place suspiciously. What is it Willis?"

Willow furrowed her brow in concentration as she scanned the fast food restaurant. "This place feels weird."

Justine replied dismissively "That's just the warding. After Xander rolled though town the last time, the staff agreed that the place need a little protection. I get a local witch doctor up here to re-cast and rebuild the screens about once a year. I can say this is the second best protected spot in the whole damn city."

"What the first?" Xander asked distractedly

"That would be the Church of Violence, Yolanda has some wicked mojo around that place."

"What's she needing that kind of magic for?" Shenhua asked curiously.

"Honey this is Roanapur, you want to live long you keep your nose out of other peoples business. If Yolanda wants to turn the Rip-Off Church into the mystical equivalent of Fort Knox, that's her business."

"How did you find out about it?" Xander asked doubtfully

"Our Witch Doctor won't go near the place. Says that one of the first things he learned as an apprentice is that nobody who wants to live long goes near Roanapur and they sure as hell do not go near the hilltop that the Rip-Off Church is built on."

Xander looked at Willow who nodded and closed her eyes, she gave a startled curse. "I don't know what they have over there but I'm surprised I didn't detect it before. You can see it from practically anywhere in the city. Hell, a warding this strong can be seen from space."

"I guess Yolanda wants to keep the place secure."

Willow shook her head, "You don't understand the kind of Warding around the church isn't for defence. If it was, I wouldn't have been able to teleport us here in the first place. This warding is for restraint. There is something under this Church Of Violence of yours. Something that someone went to a lot of trouble to make sure can't leave."

They were interrupted by a scream. Xander rushed back to Revy who was doubled over in pain as he got her up off the floor it was immediately obvious why she was crying out. Gripped in her hands were the Carpathian Dragons.

The Guns had latched on to her and it was this that had caused her to cry out. Blood could be seen filling the clear chambers but if that was causing her pain you could not tell from the look of sheer joy and ecstasy on her face. "Jesus Wept, these are beautiful." She said dreamily as her life blood flowed into the weapons energizing and powering them.

"You bond with it you bought it." Justine snapped.

Giles called then Xander brought him up to speed on what they had discovered and Giles gave him his take on the situation.

Willow scanned the weapons in Revy's hands then shook her head.

"They've alchemically bonded to you; you'd have to die to break the seal. Right now they will fire for you and you alone."

"Can you get them off?" Rotton asked curiously

"Yeah if I had a couple of hours of no zombie apocalypse time I might be able to hammer a spell or conjuration together."

"Hey I feel fine Red," Revy sighed feeling strength flowing back into her body. "So how do these things work."

Justine sighed in annoyance, "Standard Point and Click; will the guns to fire what you want, auto fire uses the least amount of juice, then shotgun, then the RPG then there is..."

"Whoa back up there sister, this thing can fire a grenade?" Revy asked incredulously

Justine slapped her in the head, "Dumb-Ass you better pay attention. The guns will still fire when the chambers are empty but they will take their fuel and by fuel I mean blood directly from you. By the way, I know your going to want to know so I'll just go ahead and tell you that the RPG isn't the most powerful thing that gun can do."

"You mean the Blood Bomb is real too?" Rotton asked amazed. He almost sounded jealous now

"Blood Bomb?" Revy asked

Justine smiled "The shot will cause the blood inside a body to chain react. The effect is .. spectacular, a little gross but cool nonetheless."

Xander clicked off his phone call. "OK folks it looks like Hells breaking loose and we're going to need our star players. Giles and the rest are headed for the Church of Violence. "

"Did your dapper Mister Watcher give you any idea what's going on." Balalaika asked

"Yeah, the evil Lawyers are on the move. Looks like they've been on the move since the beginning."

"Evil Lawyers, you mean this has all been some insipid plot of Wolfram and Hart."

"Yeah it turns out that Roanapur has its own Old One. I'm guessing from what Willis said that it's been sleeping underneath The Church of Violence since the town was constructed."

"An Old One? "Willow asked nervously, "Are you sure?"

Xander told her about his fever dream and his encounter in the mental plain with the cloaked figure. "I got the distinct impression from what the thing said that if he or she woke up it would be bad, very bad."

"Well why would the Evil Lawyers want to wake something that powerful."

"My guess is they are trying to use its power. Either that or kill it." Xander pointed out, "Manuela kidnapped Garcia Lovelace. And it looks like she was working for the lawyers. Assuming their following standard operating procedure they'll want to download the old one into a warm body. A body like Garcia's would be able to host the god's essence long enough for them to take it hostage or destroy it.

"I guessing Young Master not survive this." Shenhua snapped grimly. She had obviously taken a liking to the young man.

"Garcia, He'll be fine. His soul will be ripped to shreds when the Old One possess him leaving him a hallowed out husk of his former self but otherwise..."

"So the General was following The Orders of Wolfram and Hart."

"I'm guessing they might not have mentioned the whole zombie apocalypses part of their plans. That sounds like something I would not have agreed to if I was him."

"Where is he now?"

"Giles put the beat down on The General. He's currently sleeping it off at Garcia's hotel room."

Balalaika nodded and tuned to Boris with a cold look in her eyes. "Comrade Sergeant, see that the General is made comfortable until I can give him my undivided attention."

Boris nodded and made a call on his radio.

"I'm still not buying that Manuela was behind all of this, Xander if you saw her ...she's barely aware of where she is at any given time. She's always off in her own little world except when she's actually fighting."

"That's because she's channelling Slayer vision. She maybe has been since being called. I should have realized it she thinks she tried to kill me and described the scene pretty accurately. She has been viewing the world though the eyes of both living and dead Slayers."

"Then how would she know what to do when to attack?"

"I'll tell you exactly how. She been seeing everything including your secret operation though the eyes of all the Slayers involved, starting with Maria. That was how she knew that Roberta was dangerous enough to kill Slayers. She saw her attacking them. I'm betting that if you check the times she "wandered off" they will correspond to times when calls ere made or messages placed to keep the F-A-R-C in the loop about where you were going and what you were up to."

"I won't believe that." Riley snapped, "Not without proof."

Xander narrowed his eyes, "Sanchez you got anything off that PDA yet. It's a good thing I borrowed this I don't know who he was but the uniform made him out to be at least a Sargent."

Sanchez nodded, "Navel Special Forces, somebody really had a bug up their ass about this girl. The deployment numbers I'm seeing are amazing if this was just for one woman im not surprised she has such a bad ass reputation." Sanchez continued looking at though the PDA suddenly He gave a curse at what he found.

"Sanchez?" Claxton asked.

Civilian's right sir F-A-R-C has been getting updates regularly. The IP addresses on the surface look like they are from Lucentes.

"Lucentes is dead Dinkins told me himself." Xander reminded them.

"Then Lucentes has found a way to send e-mail from beyond the grave." Sanchez responded, "The last communication from him is dated just yesterday its confirmation that you and the maid are in Roanapur. They had orders from the top to eliminate her. Lucentes seems to have contacted them countermanding those orders. Someone called the Senior Partners wanted her alive. The FARC were to detain her instead and assist in her mission. I guessing he means the mission to kill us."

Riley was confused, "Why didn't they just come after us themselves?" He asked, "Why go to the trouble of attacking the Maid first knowing that they both had the same mission, They would have needed her help to take us down."

Sanchez prodded the PDA to give up more secrets, "They were supposed to wait until our primary objective had been contacted. They wanted us to take out the General. once that was done..."

"They help the Maid to take us out."

"Assassinate the Assassins. How much you want to bet that was the plan from the beginning. They wanted The Maid to come after you."

"...and catch up with us right after The General was captured or dead. Everybody dies."

"You got played General, someone set your people on Lovelace knowing that Roberta would come after you. They made it just hard enough for Roberta to find you so that you would have time to reach The General."

"They had no way of knowing that Roberta would find us so quickly. Or that she would have enough juice to take out anything in her path."

"But Manuela knew...she must have been the point of contact. She knew Roberta could take down a Slayer because she saw it happening. She had no way of realizing that her ability to do that came as a result of Roberta being attacked BY a Slayer. That's the way the visions work. Sometimes the connection between visions A and B aren't that clear cut."

"Bitch must have a death wish." Revy growled, "That's the only reason I can see for riling up the Maid."

"But waking the Old One makes no sense." Willow questioned, "If she woke up an Old One especially one that has been sleeping since The Exodus she would be the first one killed."

Faith answered her, "That might be what she was hoping for. You saw her during the Warehouse fight she was trying to get herself killed. Buffy screwed up her plans though. I'm guessing her Slayer visions let her on Buffy's big secret. Buffy is really bad with being jerked around. Our girl is definitely not a fan of the personal betrayal."

"As long as Buffy believed that Manuela was an innocent victim in all of this she would keep putting herself in harms way to save her from Roberta or anything else."

"Then we have to Find Buffy and Roberta. I have no idea how I can stop those two from killing each other but I'm going to have to find a way."

"I can see maybe talking Buffy down but how do you plan on getting Roberta to come down off her wire." Faith asked.

"Right now Manuela has Garcia and is about to kill him." Xander answered,

Faith nodded, "Sounds about right, you know Roberta's going to be in the hunt once she knows that Garcia's in danger.

Xander nodded, "I'm counting on it being the thing that snaps her out of her battle craze. Of course, once she's back on the Slayer hunt I don't see her stopping till Manuela's in a box especially if Garcia's been hurt in anyway."

"That's a risk we're going to have to take. "

Alright then Faith your on escort duty if you pick up anyone on the way, take them to the Church of Violence. Revy you're with me. Guess it's your birthday because we're going Bloodhound hunting are you up for it."

Fuck yeah I was wondering when this thing was going to start getting fun."

* * *

Buffy and Roberta were inside a building that was burning around them. They stood on either side of a load baring wall. They gave not a single thought to the smoke and flames surrounding them; their every sense was directed to the singular task of probing and scanning for that nanosecond of opportunity that only certain elite warriors who know fighting well could see.

They had been pounding on each other for what felt like hours or maybe days. Buffy was sure that she could beat this chick. She was the Slayer after all, but every time she seemed to be making headway, Roberta would find some hidden reserve of power some cunning reversal,

Roberta clutched her bayonets in both hands these were all the weapons she had now. The Slayer was fast, lethally so; dodging bullets and sometime not even bothering to dodge them, just slapping them out of her way as if they were annoying gnats.

Buffy's preference for up close fighting might have been a weakness but it was one she was well used to overcoming. Her Strength, her endurance, Roberta was being pressed as she had never known. The Devil's Root gave her an advantage but that advantage translated to, at best, evening the odds.

Buffy looked into the smoke and fire searching for anything that might turn this to her favour. The smoke was cruel in its silence.

For as far back as she could remember Buffy had always hated foes who seemingly wanted to talk her to death. Roberta had no interest in bantering indeed she maintained an almost eerie silence no matter how hard Buffy hit her. She would just hit back as hard if not harder.

Was she a demon Buffy though some human off shot of the various warrior clans out there someone who's parentage was lost to the far mist of time? But no, Buffy wasn't about to delude herself. Roberta was a human woman determined and maybe so insane that her mind and body now held a singular purpose the death of any one in her way and tight now that meant Buffy Summers.

"Are you sure we can't talk about this?" Buffy said into the smoke.

"What is there to discuss. I want The Slayer to pay for allowing Master Diego to die. You want to save her life and the lives of the Americans whom I'd also like to see buried up their eyeballs in raw sewage. One of us is not going to get what she wants either you or I must die it is that simple."

"Listen to yourself, how is this Slayer responsible for a death that someone else planned and executed."

"I have seen her eyes Senorita Summers a warrior can always tell truth by what is in the eyes and her eyes hold nothing but Death. She hungers for it, craves it.

"How can you know that? How can you just say one person is a killer -- one person is not?"

Roberta laughed it, transformed into a cough, "Are you telling me you can't tell a demon that is dangerous from one who is not. Surely you will not try and con me at this point."

"I've been hunting demon and vampires for almost a decade."

"...and I've been hunting and killing since I was child." Roberta screamed, "I know a killer when I see one So do not tell me that she is not dangerous because I have seen her eyes and she is dangerous if you will not deal with her then I will."

"Then I guess you are right we have nothing left to discuss except..."

"What?"

"Thank you, Xander tells me that you saved his life. I care about Xander so that means something to me. "

"He loves you and your Demon fighters."

"I know that trust me I know, but did he tell you about one of his favourite movies.

You mean that Star Wars movie?"

"Those are good but I think I like Blade Runner better."

"What?" Roberta sounded genuinely mystified.

Buffy sounded genuinely delighted, "Blade Runner it's really cool and it's where I got this trick."

The wall above Roberta exploded as Buffy reached though it to grab the Maid and haul her though the wall. She rained punches on the Bloodhound and then hurled her though still another wall.

Buffy jumped though the hold Roberta body had made in the wall and landed on top of her driving the scythe downward intending on impaling the Maid. Roberta locked her fist around Buffy's hands. Suddenly the floor beneath them let go and both women tumbled to the floor beneath. Roberta swung herself around so that she landed on top of the Slayer.

Buffy struggled to get back to her feet But Roberta was even faster. She grabbed a flaming two by four and swatted the Slayer flipping her backward. She marched across the floor after the rolling woman until she was above her raining blow upon blow down on the slayer. Buffy finally fed up with taking her blows grabbed at the board and kicked out at Roberta sending the Maid flying backward.

Buffy marched over and picked up the woman as she lay sprawled on the floor.

"Well it seems you know the eyes of death yourself senorita." Roberta slurred, "For the first time since this began I have seen them in your eyes."

"I'll do what I have to do to protect my people." Buffy snarled,

Roberta spit up blood, "That's good, you know it's amazing, everything that's happened and there's still enough power in the walls for a live wire or two."

Buffy finally noticed that she had something behind her back. Roberta had somehow grabbed hold of a sparking wire and she shoved the broken lead into Buffy's stomach. Buffy held onto the Roberta for as long as she could before painful convulsions caused her the throw the woman away from her bodily. The sparking wire tore itself from Roberta's grasp and fell sparking to swing dangerously close to a gas main spewing volatile fumes into the air.

There was a roar of heat and light and the rest of the floor and much of the remaining building caved in if the still brawling women inside noticed, they gave no sign as both had long ago realized victory or defeat would turn on the answer to the simple question whose will was stronger, The Greatest Vampire Slayer in history or the Bloodhound of Florencia.


	18. Chapter 18

The shuffling hordes the filled the street were simple things. They were little more then empty husks their only thought or desire was to carry out the orders of the Three Who Ruled as One.

Their mission was simple converge on the place of power and destroy all that resided there. Then they were to sweep the entire city cleansing it of life.

Several of the undead marching down the street suddenly found themselves confronted by a one-eyed man and a woman.

A feral grin bisected her face. However, beside her was another that their primitive minds told them the master wanted destroyed. Several raised weapons and the man turned to his companion.

"Ah I don't mean to rush you Revy but..."

"Don't rush me; don't you know a woman likes the lead up more then anything. The tease, the seduction; how much you enjoy the actual act depends completely on how much time to you take to enjoy the foreplay."

The one-eyed man sighed and rolled his eye. "OK Doctor Ruth, you sit there and work up your mojo." He held up a shotgun and racked it chambering a round.

The Woman slipped a set of head phones on and pressed a button at her hip.

"What are you using?" The man asked curiously.

"Queen, I'm in a classic rock kind of mood." She raised the weapons in her hands and smiled even wider. "Momma's got a little something for ya all;" She tapped her foot with increasing tempo until the faint strains of Brian May's Fireplace Special could be heard.

She crouched low, gathering power and launched herself into the air in a long jump. The leap carried her into one of the zombies she plunged the long needles in her weapons into the creatures neck. There was a gurgling sound from her weapons and red blood filled the chambers on the weapons. Once the creature had been drained, the woman rolled off her victim in between two more. She plunged the needles into their bodies and the chambers on the gun filled still further. She rose from the ground and got a running start. Two more zombies swiped at her but they never made contact with her. Instead she dropped to the ground sliding on her knees in between the undead duo. She popped up behind them ramming both needles in to their backs. Again the guns made their sinister gurgling and the chambers filled to their full capacity.

Another creature raised its arms intending to blast her but she pulled the weapons free from the now motionless corpses and pointed them at the creature. A shotgun blast took him full in the face causing it to arch backward, half its head missing.

She racked the zombie's lines with auto gun fire putting down several with head shots and severing limbs from many others.

The One-Eyed man unleashed shotgun fire, blasting left and right.

The woman began singing along off tune to the music in her headphones as she unleashed permanent death on foe upon foe. "No Wrong , No right," She sang as she gunned two more even as she plunged the needle of the other weapon in her hand into yet a third foe. "I'm going to tell you there's no black and no white. No blood, no stain; All we need is one world wide vision."

The sheer and utter ecstasy on her face as she killed was almost orgasmic. Revy was right, the set-up made the main event so much better.

***

The rest of the group was making good time. Maria and Bella who was obviously a little embarrassed at her performance earlier that evening and was looking to prove herself were acting as point men.

Thanks in no small part to Revy's orgy of violence the streets were clear enough that they made good time to the Church of Violence.

Faith pounded on the door and was surprised when the large double door swung open. "OK, that's not a good sign." She muttered

"Indeed," Balalaika agreed her gun out and searching the gloom inside of the church, "Yolanda keeps odd hours but they like their privacy during the night."

They searched ahead, Faith's enhanced senses picking out shadows in the room that told that the place had been the scene of a brief but determined battle. She finally saw Eda sprawled out on the floor. Moving quickly she knelt and prodded the nun back into wakefulness.

"A girl strong...fast she had the kid with her." Eda replied weakly to Faith's whispered words.

"Did she say what she wanted?" Faith asked

"It's in the Basement," Yolanda spoke strongly from the darkness. "She was rather insistent." the old woman looked exhausted but otherwise unharmed. Her eye patch was missing. Faith looked away from the too familiar sight.

"Why the hell would you keep an Old One in your basement Sister it seems ...dangerous."

"Well dearie," Yolanda answered , "it's not as if I had much choice in the matter. the Church was here long before I ever was and the Old One was here for even longer since before there was a city I'm guessing since the time of the Exodus."

"There is that term again." Balalaika asked, "What does it mean?"

Willow turned to Faith. "Don't tell me Xander never did the whole speech. I mean how could he not do The Speech?"

Faith shrugged her shoulders, "You know him, and He probably didn't remember the whole thing. It is a mouthful after all."

Balalaika folded her arms frustrated at their banter, "Well is someone going to tell me what's going on?" She exasperatedly snapped.

"Ohh let me I never get to do it anymore," Willow struck a pose and in a more theatrical voice said, "This world is older than any of you know. Contrary to popular mythology, it did not begin as a paradise. For untold eons demons walked the Earth. They made it their home, their Hell. But in time, they lost their purchase on this reality. The way was made for mortal animals, for man. All that remains of the Old Ones are vestiges, certain magic, certain creatures..."

"You saying they build church on top of such a thing and nobody know?" Shenhua asked doubtfully,

"They may have built the church on top of it to keep it contained."

Yolanda nodded, "What I was told when I was much younger was that the Old One was sleeping and wished to remain that way. It subtly influences the area and the area in turn keeps it fed and docile."

"Influence," The Russian crime boss asked, "what kind of influence?"

"Really Balalaika" Yolanda snorted, "What kind of influence would you think a creature that called itself --The Corrupted One --exert. The Old One feeds on Corruption. The actions of the corrupt in turn feed it. It's a very symbiotic relationship."

"And you've never, not once, felt a need to mention this to anyone ...in all the years that you have been here." Balalaika asked sarcastically."

Yolanda smiled indulgently, "If I told you that part of the reason this is such a dark and violent town is because an old Demon God is sleeping in my basement what would you have said? I barely believed it the first time I came here and I only mentioned it to Eda because she and Mister Harris seem intent on pursuing their relationship. It's been my experience that people like Mister Harris tend to attract the kind of trouble that would gravitate toward foolishly disturbing such a creature for their own misguided purposes."

"Speaking of Misguided," Rotton muttered, "are we going to assault the Old Ones sleeping chambers anytime son I suspect the Maid will be somewhat upset should she arrive to find her young master died whilst we were standing around."

Yolanda smiled at the dapper Mercenary, "Your welcome to make an assault at anytime but she took my only key and that door is rather hefty."

Faith flexed her arms, "...And this is where that ever useful Slayer strength comes in handy." she then winced still feeling the pain of having had her shoulders dislocated.

Balalaika turned to Bella and issued a command in Russian that the girl responded to with a crisp salute after which she headed downstairs at a jog. Maria and other slayers followed her swiftly.

Willow was about to follow but Faith stopped her. "How are we supposed to keep the shambling hordes out? I mean even if the girls get that door open and stop Manuela, the dead guys outside are still going to be a problem."

"We'll need to create a perimeter around the church; maybe a warding to slow them down."

"Whatever you are planning to do I would do hastily." Yolanda snapped, "Our guest will not be long in arriving and I did not endure this long in this hellhole to die at the hands of the restless dead."

***

Xander wondered if finding Buffy and Roberta would take time But Revy assured him that the finding of the two would be the least of their worries. She proved to be correct. They duo turned a corner and beheld an amazing sight.

The street was a chaotic monument of destruction. Fires burned from several building there were gouges in the street and Revy whistled impressively when she saw that somehow a car had been launched into the air. It had come to a rest on the third floor of the building its front end poking out over the street its front wheels still spinning.

"Wow baby, the cheerleader's got some brass. After meeting her I thought she was a lightweight cream puff but this ... You got to have some real balls to make a killing ground like this."

"Yeah its cool that your impressed and all but this will be all for nothing if they kill each other before we can find them."

"Oh man I hope I get a crack at this chick. I mean Throwing down with Faith was great and all but the Queen bitch of Slayers ...that would be so cool and she can cut bullets like Ginji."

"Yeah? Well if we survive to the end of the night, I'll mention it to Buffy and you two can work something out."

"God you can be such a Dumb Ass sometimes. I mean what guy doesn't sit around thinking about two chicks going at it?"

"A guy who has seen two chicks going at it." Xander answered sardonically. "Never have I been so glad of having only One Eye. It was easier to cleanse the memories from my warped mind."

They were interrupted by an explosion and then a lighting strike. The lightning came not from the sky but from the ground. The flashes arced around the area accompanied by more explosions.

"I'm going to go ahead and say that they're getting close." Revy deadpanned.

Suddenly every window from the ground up exploded outward. Flashes sparked though the building before, with a tremendous explosion, two struggling figures came hurtling though what used to be a window, apparently unconcerned that they were falling from several stories toward the ground. They were instead intent on beating each other silly.

Roberta was flailing away at Buffy with a pair of sword bayonets while the Slayer was fending her off with deadly attacks of her own.

The two finally came apart with a crash before landing on the ground. Both slid across the ground before popping back to their feet and running at each other clashing with tremendous power and speed. It was their weapons clashing again and again that were creating the flaring sparks that Xander had confused for lighting earlier.

Their clothes were in shreds and both women were covered by slashes and cuts to practically every part of their bodies. Revy was right, Roberta and Buffy had opened up on each other with a level of passion that had to be seen to be believed.

Xander could pick out few if any defensive wounds. Each had been slashing away at each other with no thought of defence. It was just slash-counter slash-thrust-parry-counter-parry-counter-slash, their movements so blazingly fast that Xander could not tell one attack from another.

Their battle culminated in a last rush. They came together in a crash that rippled though the air with its fury. The women hit the ground rolling across it to land at Xander and Revy's feet.

A mind numbing boom sounded "Will you two bitches knock it off." Revy screeched out at the top of her lungs.

Her gunshot had passed disturbingly close to both Slayer and Maid

Buffy was poised with the point of the Scythe pointed at Roberta heart while the Maid had the Bayonets ready to shear off Buffy's head.

"Wow, if we weren't looking down the barrel of apocalypse. I would take a picture of this moment. Andrew's slashfic loving online friends would pay good money for a sight like this." Xander smiled

"Little busy here, Xander," Buffy snapped.

"You are finished little girl." Roberta sneered

"Are you kidding?" Buffy said through gritted teeth, "I'm about to paint the fucking walls with you."

"You might want to hold off on that. You two might have noticed one or two zombie running around. Well they're trying to unleash an Old One that lives here; if we don't stop his coming out party. Garcia's going to wind up with a bad case of the deads.

"You're lying; The Young Master would never allow himself to be placed in danger like that." Roberta said with a note of nervous panic in her voice.

"I would agree with you if I hadn't seen the kid pull a gun on The Grey Fox Commander because he thought killing him would end this. But we know better don't we Roberta." Xander snapped, "He came here to find you, to protect you. You know the whole time you were with me you'd go on about protecting Garcia and that this war was all about him. Well he's in the middle of it now and unlike Diego if you sit here fighting Buffy while he dies it will be your fault."

Roberta looked down at Buffy and then rose slowly stowing her weapons. "Where is he?" She asked with cold calm

"On his way to The Church of Violence, The Slayer you've been following has taken him there. I think she wants to set off the blood bath that will start when the Old One is wakened and its spirit takes hold of Garcia's body. Buffy can tell you that we already lost a friend to an Old God's rising. Imagine Garcia walking around but it isn't Garcia it's the thing that using him as a puppet."

"What's her game plan Xander?"

"The Eyes of Death, Master Diego was right." Roberta whispered

"What?"

"She wants to die, very badly" Roberta answered, "When someone gets to that point they will do anything, run any risk to accomplish that goal."

"What the Fuck ever, Senorita," Revy snapped, "Your little brat is about to get his ticket punched and unless you are cool with that I'd get serious about pulling your shit together."

Roberta looked at Buffy, "We can finish this another time Master Garcia take priority over everything."

Buffy nodded, "I have no intention of letting an Old One out into this world. That is not how I roll." She turned to Xander, "Well how are we supposed to get to this Church Of Violence? "

"You know that car you two managed to launch into the air, I know who it belongs to and assuming he still gets higher then a kite on a regular basis he'll have left the keys inside. All we have to do is get it down and we got ourselves a ride."


	19. Chapter 19

The Church of Violence was under siege. The main road leading to it was blocked off. The walking undead patrolled the area with a relentless single-minded drive. The zombies were clad in a motley collection of weapons and uniforms from almost every era of conflict and war that Roanapur had ever been a witness to.

The main gate leading into the church courtyard and the building itself was defended by Shenhua, Sawyer and Rotton. The mercenary trio anxiously watched as an ever-increasing group of foes gathered outside the main gates. The army seemed to be awaiting some unknown signal. What they would do when it came was unclear but their numbers were already strong enough that even the most seasoned of fighters in the Church were becoming nervous at their chances of survival.

Shenhua fingered her kukri blades while Sawyer clung to her precious chainsaw. She seemed more morose than usual. Only "The Wizard" appeared unconcerned by the events unfolding before him. Though it may not have been his intention the singular merc was projecting a level of calm that was settling the nerves of his anxious partners. If Rotton the Wizard wasn't panicking then maybe, just maybe, the situation was not as dire as it seemed.

It was clear however that the current stalemate would last only so long. Once the bad guys were ready to move, they would march on the Church like a tide. They'd slaughter every living person inside leaving none to oppose their taking of the Old One from the depths of the Church.

One quickly discarded stratagem was to give them The Old One. The thinking was that once the Zombie army had their prize the creatures would leave. Nobody seriously considered that plan for longer then it took to remember that the army would want Garcia Lovelace as well; No one was willing to surrender the child or fancied facing the wrath of Roberta the Maid if they did so.

Hotel Moscow's troops and The Grey Foxes were trying to breach the inner chamber with the aid of the Slayer army. Garcia and Manuela were somewhere beyond the huge locked doors. Thus far, the doors had refused to be disturbed in the slightest by methods either martial or magical.

Kennedy, Willow's girlfriend, was already chaffing at the long wait for the inevitable battle they all knew was coming. The Slayer argued often and passionately for attacking in force and hoping for the best.

Fortunately, she made that argument in front of two people who had seen more combat then Kennedy could possibly imagine. Claxton wouldn't rule out a frontal assault to break the enemy lines while Balalaika favoured a more surgical strike to draw the enemy into a prepared killing ground. However both refused to even consider either idea so long as the door to the inner chamber remained closed.

With a potential devil at their back it made no sense to either of the veteran commanders to make things worse for themselves by starting a war along their only path of retreat should the Old One prove to be the more dangerous of the dire threats facing them. Since the army of the dead, seemed content to fortify themselves, the best plan seemed to be to bunker down and hope that Xander brought Buffy and Roberta back before the bad guys had dug in too deeply. What no one was asking, loudly anyway, was, what could two people, even warriors like Buffy and Roberta, possibly do to aid them?

Faith was helping the effort upstairs to prepare the church to repel invaders. This involved moving the large church pews to places closer to the door. The slim hope was that they might slow the army should the undead tide come rolling unstoppably toward them.

When Faith finally tired of shoving large heavy things around the church, she insisted on sitting in one of the pews she was supposed to be moving. Eda took the hint and slumped next to her smoking.

Willow was shocked with the Slayer stole one of the Nun's smokes and joined her in filling the air with carcinogenic vapour. "I didn't know you smoked." Willow commented to Faith.

"I didn't know you were a busy body. I guess we are all learning things today." Faith sniped. Elda cackled approvingly while clapping the Slayer's hand with a high-five.

"By the way Sabrina," Eda addressing Willow with sarcastic mirth, "I thought you had some wicked mojo why don't you just wiggle your nose at them or something?"

Willow barely hid her annoyance while ticking reasons off on her fingers, ""Number one, I am way hotter than Melissa Joan Hart. Number two it was Elizabeth Montgomery on Bewitched who wiggled her nose and I'd rather you didn't get me started on all the issues a true practitioner should have with both those TV shows. Number three, my batteries are running low and rather than take the time to meditate and get them back to speed, I've got to prepare to repel an invasion hatched by guys with enough power to raise an army of undead a few hundred strong and growing."

"Great," Eda whined. "At this rate we might be dead before Revy and Xander get back here."

"I guess Revy's going to get the last laugh then." Faith sighed, "I mean assuming she's still hankering for a hunk-a-burning Harris."

"She's got her sights set on Rock," Eda sighed, "but even if she wasn't; Xander and Her ...it wouldn't work. Trust me on this."

"Speaking of which," Willow asked Eda, "Wouldn't you be the Nun everyone said hooked up with Xander when he came down here. You guys apparently made quite the impression on all the girls who came back from Roanapur the first time. "

Eda sighed, "Will this be an Amazon moment where you'll warn me not to mess with Xander's head." she muttered. "Cause if so, you can stow that noise."

Willow waved her off, "Relax I'm nowhere near butch enough for that kind of thing. Besides, Xander seems happy and I guess I have you to thank for that."

Thank me, what the hell for? Eda squawked. She had clearly not been expecting this.

"Xander lost someone he was close to. She was a Slayer and while I'm not one hundred percent sure but I think he started this whole anti-slaving thing right after Renee died."

Faith noticed that Willow was not her usual babbling self. Then her mind processed what the Witch had just said. "Wait a damn minute," Faith asked, "Xander was walking wounded, When and how did this happen?"

In as few worlds as possible, Willow recounted Xander's all-too-brief affair with Renee, a young Slayer. Her heroic and sudden death had affected all of the Watchers and Slayers but Xander had taken her tragic demise even more personally, blaming himself for allowing the dangerous life he had chosen for himself to affect someone else close to him.

While she would never admit it, Eda had expected something like this. It gave method to the mad passion that Xander and she shared thus far. While she was in as much mortal danger as anyone else in this moral sinkhole called Roanapur, it was a kind of danger that Xander considered to be mundane at best. Killers and psychos tended to bother you a lot less once you had looked the devil in his eyes.

"So...I'm rebound girl," Eda said out loud to the Witch, "I guess it helped that he decided to avoid setting his sights on a Superhero this time around."

"Take it however you want," Willow sighed dismissively, "If you want to believe Buffy and me are jealous bitches then fine. The truth is I **am** jealous of you. You guys know a whole side of Xander that he kept secret from the rest of us."

"For a dammed good reason as far as I can see," Eda snapped as she gestured to indicate the whole room, bitter cynicism evident in her voice, "Take a good look around this city. This isn't a nice place Sabrina; Yolanda says it's that thing in the basement; but I don't buy that, not entirely. Roanapur, it gets inside and it changes you into what IT needs YOU to be. Either that or it takes that tiny little thing you keep locked away in your heart of hearts and uses it to twist you up so bad, you eventually don't even recognize how fucked your dreams and hopes have become. If Xander didn't tell you about this place; he was doing you guys a favour."

"Is it that bad?" Faith asked her.

"No, it's worse." Eda snapped, "This place gets to everyone eventually. Xander, Rock hell, even I don't even remember up from down anymore. And look at those Slayers he left out on that damn Island. A bunch of psycho bitches that have been royally screwed around by life. And the only person, the ONLY person who ever gave a shit about them is Xander. Right about now they will kill or fuck at that boy's whim and before you ask, yeah that scares the shit out of me."

"Xander is not like that." Willow replied defensively, "He does anything he can to help Slayers when we find them not take advantage of them."

Eda shook her head, "Willow I have seen what having the power to change the world does to some men. That kind of power changes people. You want to know why I like Xander. It's not just because he's a nice guy though he is. It's because somewhere along the way he accepted that he has a dark side. That he doesn't just have to be a nice guy, he can choose to be."

"There's a difference?" Faith asked snidely.

"Oh huge, some people are good because they have no choice, they're too lazy or stupid to realize they even have an option B. Then there are the pussies too scared of God and the Law to cut loose. Those are the guys who get married and have two point five kids and then one day you find out they have a trailer in the woods with a bunch of body parts stored alphabetically."

"So what kind of person is Xander?" Willow asked tightly

"Xander is a survivor. Trust me Sabrina in Roanapur that's all that matters."

Gunfire interrupted the ladies and all three women bolted for the main doors of the church. The mercenary trio gave ground as Willow, Faith and Eda approached.

"They taking their time getting inside," Shenhua reported, "they also not letting anyone else get inside. Gun them down first."

As if to prove her point; several of the zombies raked a small crowd of residents with gunfire, those not smart enough to back away; died.

A woman broke from the crowd and ran; dodging weapons fire, toward the church. One of the gun toting creatures began tracking her. Bullets kicked up dirt and earth as she fled desperately across open ground while death licked hotly at her heels.

Willow stepped out from the shelter of the church and swept her hands out while murmuring ancient words. The ground seethed behind the woman and a solid wall pulled itself from the earth; the barrier's mass now absorbing the shots that surely would have claimed the woman's life.

Faith marched toward the army with her sword held high. Willow snapped her fingers bringing a burning flame to life. She reached out with her hand trailing it across the blade of the sword as it passed. Suddenly the blade seemed to catch fire, burning with a fierce heat that Faith turned against the small squad of zombies. As she slashed into them, their bodies would burst into flame causing some to scream and beg for mercy.

Willow however ignored Faith fiery assaults in favour of her own brand of magical mayhem. Her eyes burned with dark anger as she reached into the sky with clutching fingers. Thunder began echoing across the rapidly darkening sky. Lightning, seemingly dragged by the young witch from the heavens, slammed down to assault the forces arrayed before her.

The mercenary trio watched with slack jawed amazement until Eda snapped at them, "Well don't just stand there with your mouths open." she snapped, "Help her"

Rotton recovered first from the shock of witnessing Willow's display of power. He unleashed deadly accurate shots, firing into the crowd of zombies with his C96 Musers. While the undead could not be harmed by his conventional small-arms fire, they could be knocked to the ground and when they were they found Sawyer waiting to hack and saw at anything that would keep them writhing on the ground.

One broke from the crowd and tried to grab at a fleeing young girl. Faith stepped out and kicked him in the head before slashing at him savagely. His body danced a grotesque ballet as he screamed for someone to put him out.

The rest of the survivors ran as quickly as they were able to door and were dragged inside by Shenhua.

Eda grabbed the last person though the door. "Did you see two women fighting in the street or Maybe Revy Two-Hands searching for them with a man, Xander Harris?"

The old man nodded, "I saw the Women fighting near the Ramsap Inn. The whole block was on fire. I've never seen anything like it before. Are you sure that was just two girls who did all that?"

Willow said tiredly as she came back inside, "I like to see Samantha Stevens try that." The people she had rescued gave her a respectable amount of space. Eda told the witch of what they had found out, Willow nodded at the news of Buffy and Roberta's knock down drag-out battle royal. "That's my girl, give her a cause and a city block to work with and watch the magic happen. I'll warn you now your City might be a little banged up before this is over."

Eda snorted, "As long as there still is a city when this is over. As much as I may hate this place, I'd rather you didn't turn this place into a pit in the middle of the South China Sea."

"Witch does good work." Shenhua smiled clapping Willow companionably on the back, "I was starting to think bad ass reputation all talk "

"What bad ass Rep?" Willow asked,

"Southie say you not a bad hand at killing." Shenhua replied, her ruby lips separating into a feral grin.

Willow gave Faith a horrified look as the implications of Shenhua's words dawned on the young Witch.

Faith shrugged her shoulders, "It came up in conversation. I did a little bragging." she explained.

"**Flaying seems … a tad flashy,**" Sawyer commented, "**but you were...upset at the time…so I make allowances for … emotionalism**."

"I didn't do it to get a rep." Willow snapped, at the Cleaner.

"You can relax mademoiselle," Rotton soothed, "You're in the one place and among the only people who will not judge you harshly." The silver-tongued mercenary said urbanely.

"**Somebody hurts you ...you hurt them back**." Sawyer said grimly. She fingered her grotesque throat wound.

"Oldest rule in Roanapur is thou shall not fuck with someone who can fuck with you." Eda quipped.

"I would punish anyone who dared to harm those I have come to care for." Rotton vowed grimly

Shenhua smiled evilly. "I like taking time, work slow and careful. Knives are perfect in such situations."

"Except that someone could bleed out on you." Faith pointed out.

"**Not with a good blowtorch on hand,**" Sawyer responded, "**you cauterize the wounds… and you don't lose the subject... a skilled professional can keep a subject going…for days.**"

Willow was gapping at them all. She thought about defending herself, she thought about raging about the days and nights she had stayed wake regretting her actions. Except that she could feel the small kernel of darkness that rose up in joy at their praise. That wanted to tell them how much she had enjoyed killing the man who had taken her first and dearest girlfriend away from her with a savage act of cruelty. How much she sometimes wished she kill Warren Meers again and again just for fun.

Suddenly a canister of teargas crashed through the glass of the window. Faith's Slayer-enhanced speed allowed her to kick the offending canister into her hands and chuck it back outside. "I think our guests just declared game on." She snapped, "Looks like Revy and Xander are going to be late to this party."

Willow looked at the army moving toward the main gates. "Buffy likes being fashionable late. We just have to keep them entertained until she and the rest get here."

"I'll get Fry-Face up here." Eda snarled, "Faith, You think you and the Trio can hold the gate 'till the Foxes and Hotel Moscow are ready to rock."

"I'm up for it if they are." Faith said looking at Rotton who nodded.

"What Witch doing while we fighting?" Shenhua asked

"Witch is gong downstairs." Willow snapped "I'm going to crack that room open if I got to rip this building apart in the process."

"She is kidding, right?" Eda asked Faith nervously, "Yolanda will have my ass if this place is ripped up anymore then it has to be."

"Depends on if we got Nice Willow or Evil Willow," Faith answered, "The thing is, if it's Evil Willow, our chances for survival just went up a whole hell of a lot. We'd just better pray that Xander gets back soon. When she's like this she's as dangerous as any Old One. So far he's the only one that's ever managed to talk her down."

***

Garcia was not scared and that surprised him. The woman he was with was obviously agitated and frankly with everything he had seen this day, confronting a God was still going to be the highlight of his day, but he somehow found when he looked inside himself an absence of fear.

Maria had subdued the gun toting nuns including the old woman who she had knocked out when taking the antique key she had used to gain access to this chamber. Now she stood looking at the altar. In front of her, a dried out corpse was placed in a place of reverence.

"We came all this way for a dead man?" Garcia asked

"The Corrupted One is asexual." Maria explained, "It doesn't have a gender in the conventional sense of the word."

Garcia peered at the corpse's still recognizable extremities, "Well I hate to break it to you but that looks a lot like a man to me."

Maria looked at him balefully, "Having a terrorist to watch over you has made you very brave." She sighed,

"My father told me never to let fear or intimidation control you."

"Your father WAS a wise man; of course as you've seen that the wise and foolish die just the same." Maria snatched Garcia's hand and applied a blade to his hand cutting across the boy's flesh with a deft stroke. She then forced his hand to touch one end of the altar. Once this was done she began tying his hands to the altar to keep him pinned there.

"How do you even know this will work?" Garcia snapped as he struggled to free himself. "How did you even know this was here?"

"The Lawyers were helpful but I would have known about this even without them. My visions connect me to the history of the Slayer Line; a very long history. Anything that one of my sisters has seen, I can see. The power has caused me ...a lot of pain since I was called but it has its uses."

"So a Slayer was here in Roanapur."

"It was not called Roanapur yet but yes one of my fellow Slayers came to this place and found the Corrupted here."

"What else did you see?" Garcia asked distractedly while still struggling in his bonds.

"I saw your maid beaten and humbled by a Slayer, The one she was originally supposed to meet the day your Father died. She did not know how strong we were or how we could be killed and originally her grief and humiliation drove her to hunt us like animals across the globe. She killed many before she was finally stopped. Originally she died in a far off country, killed by Buffy Summers during a battle to the death."

"Roberta is dead?" Garcia was panicked

"As I said that was the original history. Things are changing, like placing your hand in a pool of water changes the nature of the reflection you see; interfering in destined events is the same way. First it was me and not Maria who encountered your Maid. Originally Xander Harris was not there that first time. I think because Lucentes bought two Slayers and not one, his money trial became more noticeable."

Finally ready, Maria slashed at her own hand and placed her bleeding palm on the altar exactly opposite of Garcia.

"A gift of blood, both pure and defiled, calls you. Come forward and be unto us, a presence." Manuela said loudly,

Garcia wasn't sure what he was expecting or if he even was expecting anything but the sound of the corpse breathing out a loud sigh before collapsing into dust that began to swirl around the room was definitely not it. The Cloud continued to swirl before solidifying into a tall cloaked figure.

Garcia watched amazed as the figure reached up and pulled the hood from its head and face and Garcia was able to, at last, look upon the face of Corruption made flesh.

"Mother, is that ... you?" The young boy asked.

***


	20. Chapter 20

***

"ICE BITCH!" Ingrid Berman knew the nickname and openly courted it.

She enjoyed the idea that most assumed she had the name because of her icy disposition and coldly ruthless work ethic.

In the business of intelligence, she was that rare female that could boast of having the fear and respect of her male co-workers.

When men saw you calmly order that a known government trouble maker be dosed with psychosis-inducing chemicals after which you personally over saw the woman being subjected to a insidious program of mental torture until she was a raving lunatic that nobody in their right minds would listen to, People stopped wondering if you could stomach the nasty stuff.

Ingrid loved the game of intelligence. She loved the subtle manipulations and gentle corruptions that subverted the soul and twisted the mind. Breaking the will of an enemy to fight or inflaming them to the point where they would throw their lives away and save you the trouble of wasting a bullet on them, she loved it all.

Others had wondered if her career was over when she had been tapped to oversee supernatural matters affecting national security. She had been quietly confident and her belief in her new duties had apparently been borne out when the Whole Slayer thing had been dropped in her lap. Others thought she just had good instincts when it came to reading the winds of change. She had an altogether different reason for her confidence.

Ingrid knew that the Slayers and Watchers would be a prime source of concern because her bosses had told her so. Not the American government, she had stopped following their orders a long time ago. She had never really served that bloated entity. They had only been a means to an end. Her real orders came from a higher authority and that authority was in a foul mood.

She was watching a television monitor in her office. the monitor was not connected to any external power source nor was it a regular part of the rooms accessories it was as new as the youthful boy with the cat ears she had found sitting implausibly on her desk when she had returned from the latest of the many meetings about the "Roanapur Situation" as everyone was calling it.

The boy's name was Schrödinger and he had delivered the monitor because his boss who was Ingrid's boss was getting tired of waiting for the finale. He said as much while he had a napkin tucked in at his throat. He was cutting up Oktoberfest sausages and dipping them into a sauce dish at his side. Ingrid looked at the man.

With his pudgy looks, blonde hair and glasses he looked like nothing so much as a plump and innocuous little accountant. It was only when you looked in his eye and saw the vast deep well of insane genius within; you realized that far from being a stodgy little do-nothing, The Major was one of the more dangerous men on the planet.

He swallowed the bite of sausage in his mouth, "This whole experiment with the Devils Tears isn't nearly as amusing as you had promised me Ingrid." He whined in his thick German accent. "Seeing these pathetic zombie soldiers fight is like watching children playing chess. No artistry, no beauty, no passion."

"My apologies Major," Ingrid sighed, "My contact in Roanapur has been very uncooperative especially where The Watchers Organization is concerned I suspect she has developed...feelings for one of them." She said this last with a note of disgust in her voice.

"Ahh true love, the horrors I have seen committed in the name of love almost eclipse the regular depravities of war. Still I am thinking that your arrangement with the Lawyers isn't paying off nearly as well as I would like."

"Boring little people in their boring little suits "Schrödinger complained, "And they're having all the fun."

"I could not agree more Warrant Officer," The Major said, "I mean so what if they kill some dusty old man and a so-called General, where is OUR fun. I mean the only reason they have zombies running around is because of us and here we are sitting on the sidelines now that the fun has finally started."

"I would love to see what Freu Bloodhound can really do." Schrödinger said while bouncing on the desk happily.

"...And I for one find these stories of Ms Buffy Summers and her army of Slayers intriguing." The Major said with an almost wistful tone.

Ingrid sighed, "I suppose you would like me to take control of the situation directly?" she asked.

"There is only one thing I like Ingrid...I like war utter, complete, chaotic and terrible. This South China Sea hellhole seems to have unwittingly become the breeding ground for the kind of people that would happily storm the gates of heaven itself. And rather than confront them and test their mettle, we are letting the Lawyers pull strings and make our puppets dance to a very unsatisfying tune."

"I could go there directly." Ingrid offered, "The Lawyers wanted the island cleared of life anyway and I've been longing for a chance to see what this Slayer army is really capable of."

"As have we all, my dear, as have we all. Please give my good tidings to all our little puppets should any of them survive your encounter. I should like to offer them the chance for a more satisfying campaign of terror then any of them has ever known."

"I shall make arrangements to travel there right away."

The Major grinned widely, "Now what kind of commanding officer would I be if I forced you to use conventional transport for a mission this important? Warrant Officer; please make sure of Corporal Berman's timely arrival to Roanapur; and make sure that I have a good view of the carnage...Ingrid put on a show."

"Of course, Major." Ingrid bowed to the monitor which went dark the cat-boy twitched his ears. He placed his hands over Ingrid's eyes.

"How long will it take to get there?" Berman asked,

"Get where?" The Boy asked innocently.

"Roanapur;" Ingrid growled with annoyance, "our destination?".

"I know; that is why I am asking. We are already in Roanapur." the boy said pulling his hands way from her eyes to reveal that they had almost instantly traveled thousands of miles.

"How do you do that?"

"If I knew exactly how I did it, it wouldn't be nearly as much fun to do." Schrödinger said airily.

"Why doesn't The Major take advantage of it if you can carry people?"

"Because," Schrödinger said with a sinister smile, "getting there is half the fun. Now go make some noise and remember The Major is always watching."

Ingrid nodded took off her business jacket revealing the t shirt underneath. Schrödinger smiled as she saw the intricate tattoos that worked their way across her back and down her arms. You had to look at them a while before you noticed that the tattoos sometimes seemed to move and shift across her skin.

Schrödinger handed her a huge halberd, like her sister she had a taste for medieval weaponry though Ingrid thought her pole axe was a far more practical weapon then her sister's Scythe.

As if reading her Thoughts the mischievous cat-boy snorted, "I would have stolen your sister's weapon but Summers uses a Scythe in battle and its quite effective."

Schrödinger stepped back and looked at Ingrid while forming a little frame with his fingers. "You look just like your big sister; shall I give Zorin your love?"

Although the Zorin and Ingrid were sisters and shared many things including abilities and lusts for violence. They quarreled incessantly which was why The Major had ordered the young sister to use her intelligence expertise to infiltrate the American intelligence community and report on their movements and activities.

Zorin had teased her younger sibling about having to change her name for the sake of the mission but Ingrid wasn't too upset. She had preferred Berman by far to their nom-de-guerre of Blitz.

Ingrid Berman looked at the boy with a touch of annoyance and was about to say something nasty, when the little boy disappeared, His widely grinning smile seemed to be left behind to hanging in the air.

Ingrid hefted the giant pole axe and looked around the streets of Roanapur. First things first, The General would know where the Old One was and that was where Roanapur's defenders would most logically install themselves. As the Major had said...it was time to go put on a show.

Ingrid looked around the street if she was going to war she'd need something more practical then office appropriate pants suit. She quickly saw what she was looking for. Two zombies in FARC uniforms shuffled toward her. She grinned between the two of them she should be able to build an outfit worthy of the name.

***

The General was desperate to get out of the city. He wasn't stupid enough to think he'd survive very long. If the Lawyers didn't get to him then Chang and The Russian would almost certainly do the job.

The Drug Lord tried everything he could think of to escape his Hotel Moscow guardians. He tried threats, bribes, and offers of power, money and women. In a moment of enlightened desperation he even tried men. The two Russian soldiers were not moved in the slightest.

He was getting truly desperate when a knock sounded at the door.

One of his guards responded in Russian but the knocking continued. The man reacted by levelling his weapon at the door. He repeated his words; obviously a pre-arranged code was not being given. Whoever was on the other side of that door was not a friend of Hotel Moscow.

He raised his weapon along with his partner. Taking aim at the door the man asked for the password once more.

The door exploded inward as several feet of halberd spike slashed through the door.

The two soldiers opened fire. The shadowy figure danced backward reeling in the hail of bullets before dropping unceremoniously to the floor. The men moved forward slowly, guns at the ready. When they reached the figure, they rolled it over and the General from his chair saw a woman in tattered army fatigues.

Suddenly the halberd she had not let go of came up stabbing its full length into one of the soldiers, ramming though the man's stomach.

The woman holding the weapon rose up apparently unharmed. She stepped though the remains of the door while raising her weapon, and the man impaled on it. The second guard opened fire again but this time the woman used the dying soldier high enough to block the first few shots from his partner.

"Greetings General, "she said causally as she backed the panicking soldier across the room. "It would appear you can still be of some slight use." Ingrid used her leverage to hurl the impaled body at the other solder knocking him to the ground.

She marched quickly across the room to stand over the tied up General. "I need to know where the Old One is hiding, you can help me find her and maybe live or ..." She turned and threw her halberd across the room to pin the still living solder to the wall. The man died instantly.

Ingrid swiftly untied the General and frog-marched him to the door, snatching the poleaxe from the wall in the process. The soldier's body slumped to the ground.

"If you attack the Church...The Russian and the Slayers are there. They won't let you though."

"I wasn't planning on asking them. "

"What about them?" The General asked pointing at the dead bodies

Ingrid shrugged "Waste not, want not." She produced two vials of the Devil's Tears and emptied the contents into the dead bodies.

The General watched as the corpses started twisting and eventually rose up under their own power

"You follow our commands now understand," Berman snapped; the zombies nodded, "Then gather your fellows and join us where they are hiding the Old One." The newly raised zombies nodded and shouldered their weapons and left.

Sheu Yen looked at the shuffling zombies in amazement, "This is incredible."

Ingrid turned the spike portion of her weapon on the General forcing him against a wall. "Make no mistake General, you are living on borrowed time. How long I allow you to survive will depend on how useful you make yourself. Now come along I suspect the rest of our new army will need direction."

"Our new army?"

"You're a General I'm giving you a new army to lead. Think of it this way; if you win this battle you will get the last laugh on the Russian and your fellow Triad gangster."

***

The Zombies filling the streets of Roanapur were simple things but they could follow orders and small group was following them now. They shuffled their way to a large warehouse. One had not risen but that would deal with now. The hordes found their way to a dark corner of the warehouse where they stood over the broken body of Alberto.

As they had been ordered to do, the ones who had them removed vials filled with the crystal tears and emptied the contents on the carcass. It began to stir and spasm. A few more that had captured a few random citizens, dragged them forward. The carcass reached out and grabbed at them and the people began screaming in agony. In moments the innocents were dead, their flesh stripped from their bodies. The creature who had once been Alberto stood up. His body still bore the ravages of his battle with Roberta.

The crowd of Zombies partied and Alberto saw they were being lead by a female Gringo and a Chinese man in a uniform his recently undead brain allowed him to remember General Sheu Yen. The man the Marines were hunting.

He addressed the gringo female, "What are you? You aren't human I can tell that much."

You aren't that human anymore yourself fortunately that fits in perfect with my plans and schemes"

"What schemes?" Alberto asked suspiciously.

I plan on seeing this entire town burning roasting with its defenders suspended from spikes like the one I wield. You are the first of my new troops but there will be others."

"...And why do you think I need your help to destroy our enemies." The FARC commander asked.

"Because you were a piece of meat on the floor until I brought you back. If you want your revenge on the Bloodhound you will help me attack them at the Church."

"What Church?"

"We can discuss it on the way I have a few more of your fellows to being back to life and fortunately some of the good General's troops on the mainland. It will make converting them into undead troops much easier."

"What happened to the rest of them?" Sheu Yen asked.

"The ones that were not killed by zombie attack made it to the Slayer Island. Ex-slaves make for particularly dangerous foes especially when motivated by good old fashioned hatred. They were slaughtered like cattle."

The Woman turned to undead troops arrayed around them. "Our enemies make their last stand at the resting place. Go and make sure they are kept entertained until I arrive."

Alberto snarled in angry rage, "Nobody kills Rosarita save for me."

He turned to one of those who had raised him from the dead. "Corporal, why are you walking around with that knife still in you?"

Corrado smiled and removed the knife Xander Harris had buried in his throat earlier in the day. "The Watcher sir, I'm saving it for him. I came close to killing him once I plan to finish the job."

***


	21. Chapter 21

***

The jeep turned out to be a good move on several levels. For one thing it was tough little thing that had survived its close encounter with the third story window mostly intact. It was indeed the property of the notorious drug fiend Leigharch and in tribute to its owner the glove box had a generous bag of cannabis and the key to a foot locker in the back that was crammed full of weapons.

Xander was driving, that allowed Roberta and Revy to take out the many zombies filling the streets with gunfire while Buffy took the more visceral approach of hacking down anything that came too close to the speeding vehicle.

Suddenly another car spun around a corner and slipped in close to the jeep, gunfire began raking the sides. The thing was filled with zombies howling taunts in the various languages they had used in life and firing at the jeep.

"Señor Harris, the Mossberg if you please?" Roberta asked politely.

As Xander handed The Maid his Shotgun, Buffy said calmly "You know I could take them out it would be easy."

Roberta held up a hand "We have no time for your theatrics." She pointed the shotgun at the other car's tire and unleashed a blast. She chambered another round as the car began skidding and shot again at the back tire. The car began fishtailing, and then flipped into the air. Roberta chambered another round and tracked the moving vehicle and when the rear of the car was in sight shot at it again. The car exploded with a roar, raining fiery metal into the street.

Buffy pouted, "Wow, somebody's a show-off."

The Jeep was approaching an intersection at speed. Two more of the fiends were standing there blazing away at them one wielding a mini gun, the other, a RPG. Xander down shifted and spun the jeep so that its armoured back-end was facing the zombie's weapons fire.

"I got these two." Revy screamed. She fired her paired weapons at each and both creatures became twin pillars of writhing flame.

"Drama Queen." Buffy snapped while Roberta sniffed contemptuously.

"Fine you get the next one." Revy cackled

As if on cue another squad of prowling undead appeared cutting the air with fire and heat.

"I need some speed," Buffy cried out climbing into the back.

Xander nodded and powered the jeep into a controlled fishtail. The momentum hurled the slayer high into the air she passed over top of the squad beheading three in the first pass. She landed with a sliding stop and cut down another two chopping the last one in half. With a final jump she landed on the front of the jeep and crawled back into the shotgun seat.

"Thank, you, thank you; I'll be here all week be sure to tip the wait staff." Buffy said proudly,

The other women made noncommittal grunts.

"Hey I got three at once." Buffy whined

"I got five and mine were in a moving vehicle." Roberta sneered

"Hey mine were the most heavily armed including an RPG." Revy snapped

"Fine, We'll let Xander cast the deciding vote." Buffy growled and three sets of eyes turned to look at him.

"OH come on, do I look that stupid?" Xander snapped.

"Don't be such a pussy, sport;" Revy snapped, "it's just a question, what's the big deal?"

Xander smiled, "Any question a man is asked that involves him commenting on a female's appearance or actions especially in comparison to any other female is guaranteed to end with him being dead no matter what he says. And you guys are a little too well armed for that."

"You're forgetting that not answering the question is just as dangerous as answering it." Buffy smiled sweetly while showing way too much teeth.

Xander seriously wondered if he should be taking his chances with the undead hordes.

The Jeep continued to thunder through the Roanapur's war torn streets with Xander now trying to avoid taking them into any more conflicts. The ladies were suspicious about the sudden lack of enemies on the streets to oppose them.

"If our enemy is no longer on the streets in force," Roberta insisted grimly. "That means the vast majority are at the Church by now."

"I hope the guys are alright." Xander fretted

"Willow can handle it till we get there." Buffy smiled grimly.

Xander nodded but goosed still more speed out of the Jeep rounding a corner on two wheels. They saw a mixed group of Woman fighting an attacking crowd of Zombies. The women were surrounding and obviously protecting Dutch and Benny who were sheltering a cringing large afro-haired black man in cheap looking seventies regalia.

Xander slid the jeep into a controlled skid, while Revy and Roberta unleashed a blizzard of gunfire that took down several of the zombie soldiers. Buffy launched herself out of the jeep again and dashed at full speed toward the remaining forces. They tried to track her movements but she was so unearthly in her speed that one soldier watched amazed as she hacked off his arms and the rifle they'd been holding. The creature watched as his severed limbs squeezed the trigger of his weapon causing it fire uselessly even as it fell to the ground. Buffy grinned wolfishly at the fiend as she cut him in half.

Benny looked at the imposing Roberta and then at Buffy and sighed. "What the hell did I ever do to get stuck in a town filled with freakish super women?"

"You ripped off the mob, remember?" Revy cackled "They were going to fry your ass till I go involved."

Dutch was more to the point, "Xander have you any idea how screwed up things have been the last day or so because of you." The Captain snapped.

Xander shrugged, "Yeah I think I might have heard something about that."

"Xander Harris, " the other man said "Well damn it boy what's with you coming back to Roanapur with some fine-ass women in tow and you don't pay a visit to your old pal Rowan." He was looking at Buffy especially as he said this and Xander moved quickly between them.

"Xander," Buffy asked with a dangerous look in her eyes," who is this; and why does he make me feel like I should be using a wire brush and lye soap when he looks at me?"

Xander made introductions, Roan "Jackpot" Pigeon... Buffy Summers." He gestured toward the Bloodhound, "I'm sure you recall Roberta by reputation if nothing else. She torched The Yellowflag and about a dozen Cartel thugs the last time you might have seen her. Rowan please be smart and do not say or do any of the things that you normally do around women."

"Now Harris, that wounds me. I am both a gentleman and a businessman."

"You're a whore mongering pimp." Revy snapped

"She means that in the nicest possible way." Xander said quickly.

"Ah Lady Rebecca," Roan smiled insincerely, "as always you're the epitome of charm and civility."

Revy ignored him turning to The Black Lagoon's captain, "What are you doing here boss man?" She asked, "Everyone's hauling ass over to the Rip-Off Church."

"We'd be over there as well but Pigeon's got a crowd of people holed up at the 'Fest. He's hired us to escort them to safety. I was going to check out the place and see if we could transport them without getting our asses killed in the process."

Benny looked around nervously "Considering we couldn't get three blocks before we ran into trouble, I do not like our chance of getting anyone moved to someplace a little less..."

"-- dangerous?" Buffy asked,

"I was going to say repulsive, but yeah dangerous works just as well." Benny replied,

"I run a class establishment." Roan whined.

Revy snorted at his words, "You got a theme night where the losers can watch lookalikes of me and Chinglish shaking ass on stage." She reminded him.

"Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery."

"So that means there's a Balalaika-imitator," Xander pointed out innocently, "Has the Boss Lady seen her?"

Roan looked at Xander as if he was insane, "What, do I look like I want to end up at UG Pork on The Cleaner's table --of course there's no Balalaika."

Xander smiled triumphantly, "Well if we are going to transport your dancers and clients to the church I'd advise getting the girls changed into something a little less likely to get YOU killed."

"Who are we helping and what about them. Their Slayers I can tell that much." Buffy asked suspiciously, But Xander didn't answer. He was looking at the other women with dawning realization.

"Master Harris you've returned to us." one of the girls said to the Watcher who realized that the women were several of the Slayer Slaves he had rescued.

"What are you guys doing here?" he asked

"When the Chinaman's army came to the island to take us we fought back we realized the Chinaman's forces might be here as well. The best of us volunteered to come here to fight them. We hoped that we might earn our place."

"Earn your place?"Buffy asked awkwardly.

"We know that Master Harris left us before because we were not great fighters who could stand with him in the Great War." The girl turned to Xander, "We hoped to have another chance to prove ourselves worthy of the effort you made to save us."

"Not worthy to fight with me," Xander asked sadly, "You thought you weren't good enough to fight."

"Xander I know you're not that bright so I'll use little words." Dutch said, "Slaves do not think rationally. That's why they need so much attention after they've been freed. It's very easy for them to assume that someone who's off crusading around the world has, in fact, abandoned them."

"I did not abandon them." Xander sighed "I mean...I didn't mean to abandon them. I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize to me apologize to them," Dutch said gently but firmly, "they are the ones who need to feel worthwhile."

"They are ..." The Lagoon's captain grabbed Xander and turned him firmly toward the Slayers Xander nodded and started again, "You are worthwhile… and as soon as this is over we'll get you girls into A-one shape for Slay-age. In fact I brought the best of the best with me." He gestured to Buffy.

The Slayers looked in amazement at her. Several of the ex-slaves bowed their heads. Some even dropped to their knees on the ground trying to show reverence.

"Stop that!" Buffy snapped.

In a more gentle voice, Buffy reached out and picked up the closest girl, "I'm not your master and neither is Xander. He's your watcher, your guide, your friend. He'll help train you and make you strong so that when the darkness comes you won't ever have to be afraid again." She looked at Xander meaningfully, "He won't be doing it alone of course. No one ever stands alone when they stand with us."

"But we saw him in danger we saw him at the side of the mad hunting dog."

Buffy gestured to Roberta, "She's on our side now." the Slayer paused,

"Wasn't she just trying to kill you before?" Dutch asked looking at the Maid wearily,

"That's just how we roll, Boss man." Xander smiled brightly.

"Besides," Roberta said grimly, "it is clear that Senorita Summers barely knew what you were up to let alone what the Slayer woman was involved with."

"Well duh, I only explained that like sixty-zillion times." Xander sighed

"Men say anything they need to get what they want from a woman. You cannot trust a man's words only his actions. "

Amen, preach it sister, preach it." Buffy said jokingly.

"Hey, you are supposed to be leading by example, "Xander scolded her, "that means not exposing these impressionable girls to your screwed world view on men."

Roan snorted, "I hope you guys aren't expecting that I'm gonna pay more. I paid for Lagoon Company. To me that includes everyone currently or previously employed by Lagoon Company."

Dutch smiled at Rowan, "Xander is an independent contractor now as is his friend. I don't think you could afford what Roberta could charge for her services."

"Does nobody do anything out of simple human kindness in this town?" Buffy asked. The wall of bewildered looks facing her including from Xander answered her question more eloquently then words ever could."Right, stupid question; OK, how are we going to do this?"

"We're going to get ourselves a convoy." Xander smiled.

***

Garcia barely remembered his mother. She had died when he was very young. Still, as open-minded as his recent adventures were forcing him to become, his first instinct upon being confronted with the image of his dead mother was denial. "My mother is dead; you can't be her." The young scion stated cautiously.

"You are half right," The Old One stated simply, "I meld the flesh that remains to this vessel to appear as I wish but if you mean, am I the one who carried and birthed you? -- then no I am not your mother."

"I've done all that you asked," Manuela said desperately, "You promised that I might receive your blessing if I frustrated your enemies' plans and brought the boy to you. He's perfect."

"Indeed Little Slave-girl, I have not been so faithfully served in so many, many centuries."

"So what happens now am I going to be killed and sacrificed."

"You have a part to play but it is not as a sacrifice. You soul's just a little too pure for my taste. You are here for her."

"What does that mean exactly?"

"An ancient rite so-to-speak; you decide her worthiness to receive my blessing based on what you learn of her life. If her deeds merit it you shall decide her fate."

"You don't seem much like a god of evil "

"That would be because I'm not evil."

"...but you're supposed to be the spirit of corruption. What is corruption if it isn't evil?"

"Life begins and life ends, Young Master, but what comes in between. I am the answer to that question. You live in a near constant taste of decay. Perhaps you've heard the saying, that as soon as you're born; you start dying?"

"So if you didn't exist everything would just remain constant "

"Constant, and unchanging, never realizing its potential you would remain a charming if opinionated little boy instead of the heroic and steadfast man your Father wanted you to be or the ruthless and cold opponent that your enemies fear you will become."

"You know my future."

"I can perceive the pathways that your life will take not true knowledge fate more an insight as to what the gradual decay of your mind body and soul will produce. I have to say that you are going to have a far more interesting life then ever your father did."

"Ok then why are you sleeping in the middle of Roanapur, why here?"

"I did not make Roanapur; Roanapur made itself I just have sustained myself on the drifting from light to dark and from life to death."

"It's not just the death that feeds you; it's the bitterness and coldness that seeps in from living in this dark and evil place."

"Can't you feel it Little Lovelace. Already your heart and mind are changing from what they were. Your ideals are decaying and from that decay will spring new ideals, new priorities. Who knows, one day you will come to see that sweet innocence your Maid adores so very much, as a burden to be discarded. Birth, life, decay, death and rebirth; that is the truth of the universe here in Roanapur that truth is expressed in fashion that some, might consider grotesque.

Fine you want me to absolve her or something, I absolve her. I forgive her, whatever it is you need me to do."

"Forgiveness," The Old One chuckled, "True forgiveness is rare. It comes from seeing the actions of others in context to the great flow of life. "

"I don't understand how can I know the truth of what she did or didn't do I have only her word for that. It's not like I was actually there."

The Old one smiled, "Take her hand Young Lovelace."

I'm kind of tied..." Garcia looked down at some point he was not sure when, his bonds had disappeared.

"Take her hand."

Garcia reached out and took Manuela's hand. Sparks arced between them. Garcia jumped back "What just happened?"

"You have for a time stolen the woman's gift of sight beyond sight. Now you Garcia Lovelace can see all that was seen and will be seen by those of the Slayer bloodline. I don't need to lie or use evil to corrupt and distort souls. A soul like yours will respond to something as simple as the truth. Let us see if you can be so forgiving once your lies of innocence have been replaced by truth and knowledge."

***

If there was a good part to the devastation on the streets of Roanapur it was that a surprising number of people had fled their vehicles while in transit. This saved valuable time since they could pick the two biggest trucks they could find and didn't even have to hotwire them.

Dutch and Benny each took the wheel of the large trucks they "borrowed" and together the convoy pulled up in front of the Goof Fest. The neon lighting seemed almost satirical given the doomsday scenario.

Xander was surprised to find music still pumping out into the streets. "Are you kidding me Roan, you're still open in the middle of this nightmare?" He asked sarcastically.

Roan looked at Xander, "It may be judgment day, but people are still people. They'll always need to get drunk and look at tits and ass." the man said with a sage voice.

"Wow Xander you bring me to such amazing places." Buffy snapped

"By the way Harris; is your girlfriend going to make trouble?" he mimed the use of a stake, "I do not need her killing the staff."

Xander positioned himself in front of Buffy to keep her from throttling the club owner, "Buffy will be fine as long as we aren't taking the v-girls to the Church."

Roan nodded and went running into the building wailing about his precious babies.

Xander was nervously glancing around at the large number of people gathered inside the main foyer. A mix of customers, dancers and assorted refugees who's escape from the zombies had brought them to the brothel.

Roberta approached Roan. "May I assume that you possess a stock of iconic fetish wear?" The ex-terrorist asked politely.

Roan nodded proudly, "Of course, you can't run a place like this without some outfits."

"...and that would include maid's uniforms am I correct?"

"Well I might, what's it worth to you?" Roan asked.

Roberta produced a wad of cash that made the club owner's eyes light up.

Xander was mildly curious. "Do I want to know why you need a Maid's outfit?" he asked cautiously.

"If I am meeting Master Garcia again, I should be dressed appropriately." Roberta answered.

Roan gestured to the back room and Roberta followed him shouldering the bag of weapons she had managed to hold onto.

Buffy looked at Xander and his nervous twitching and poked him. "What wrong you look like you're going to jump out of your skin?"

"This seems too perfect." Xander said nervously, "I keep waiting for the other shoe. I mean the Lawyers are pretty hardcore and I wouldn't put any of this past them but it seems a little too easy, too convenient."

"We'll deal," Buffy said dismissively, "Now what are the v-girls and why are we leaving them here instead of taking them to the Church."

"The V-girls are vampires who work upstairs." the young man admitted.

Buffy sighed and cracked her knuckles meaningfully, "OK well vampires I know how to deal with; what's the problem?"

"You can't kill these vampires Buffy." Xander held up his hand, "Just trust me for now and accept that."

Buffy cocked her head to one side. "Vampires; you mean aside from the drug lords, gangsters and psychos this place also has ..."

"Not all of them are strippers or hookers," Xander quickly explained, "and not all are female. They work in the host clubs around the city."

"Are you kidding me?" Buffy snapped, "So what? You didn't think it was significant enough to tell me this before."

"Buff, you have a rather infamous stake-first; ask-questions-when-it-dawns-on-you policy."

"I know," Buffy agreed sharply "it's one of the reasons I'm still alive; you too as I recall."

"No argument there but since I owe the v-girls my life I'm kind of obligated to keep them from being the next notches on your scythe."

Buffy folded her arms "I'm waiting." She said grimly.

There was a sudden scream from the top of the stairs leading to the upper rooms of the club and a young looking blonde hurled herself down the steps. "Buffy Summers, my god it has been ages I haven't seen you since God I don't remember when." She said excitedly.

Buffy was shocked because she not only recognized the short girl with a waspish figure as a vampire she also remembered her from high school. Buffy cocked her head to the side. "Maddie, Maddie Larkin? I had chem with you at the start of grad year; then you vanished."

"It was Scott Tanner," Maddie shrugged, "we went parking late one night. He said the danger would make it more fun. He was really, really wrong about that." She opened her mouth to show her vampire fangs.

Buffy shrugged, "I staked him about a year or so later. So whets doing with you?"

"I hooked up with some older vamps. They were the ones who told me about the whole slaying thing which I got to say was such a head trip. I mean you, of all people, fighting demons. I mean that has to be like the all-time biggest shock of like, forever. Anyhow my new friends told me about the Mayor's Ascension. They said I had best get out of town. I thought --where did I always want to see before I died; and bought a ticket to Asia."

Buffy cocked her eyebrow critically, "No offense Maddie but... a hooker?" she asked delicately.

Maddie waved her hand dismissively, "I don't actually have sex. Most of the guys get off on the feeding. I spout a little Anne Rice dialogue, you know that whole lonely-and-ancient-soul thing; and then I drain off about a pint. I get to feed and they get off on being fed on its like sex, drugs and food all at once."

Buffy recalled the pain of finding her ex-love Riley engaging in such activity but she reflected that it made a twisted kind of sense. "So how did you end up meeting Xander?" She asked not expecting an answer.

Maddie paused, "One of the Syndicate money men stole a bunch of cash for one of the dancers here and then got himself killed. She tried to get out of town and ended up running into Xander. He took up for her not knowing she was like a total bitch and had half the city's hunters on her ass. Xander only found out what bad news she was after she tried to have him killed by some of the new vamps who don't know he was the best friend of THE Vampire Slayer.

"Really, would any of those girls still be working here?" Buffy said coldly,

Xander noticed a few familiar faces fading further into the background.

"Anyhow," Maddie sighed, "I stepped in and told them that killing the best friend of the Vampire Slayer was about the surest way to end up dead."

"Smart girl," The Slayer said "Xander has managed to never speak of his time in Roanapur; I suspected he was doing something insane but he's been covering his tracks very well."

Xander was no longer trying to even hide his sheepish grin.

"After it was over Xander promised he'd intervene if you ever came calling as long as we kept a low profile." Maddie looked at Buffy nervously, "I'm guessing since we have a whole bunch of Slayers now, things are a little different."

"If any of us survive the current crisis we can deal with it then." Buffy looked at her former classmate squarely, "You helped Xander when he needed it and that counts for a lot in my book; consider this your get-out-of-slaying-free card, which has just been cashed in.

Maddie nodded. "Thanks, we're going to bunker down in the 'Fest. Good luck guys I hope you make it though."

"So do I." Xander said

"I'm curious," Buffy asked the young looking Vampire. "How did Xander get out of his little crisis? I mean, He had a bunch of killers on his trial; how did he survive?" she asked.

"You mean before or after he blew up that Ramsap Inn?" Maddie asked.

Buffy was looking at Xander incredulously. "You blew up a hotel?!?" she asked incredulously.

"In my defence," Xander said, "I did not actually blow up the hotel. It was the other hunters who blew the hotel up. I just..."

Buffy cut him off, "Let me guess, you just MacGyver-ed a whole building." she mocked him.

"Hello, Damsel in distress." Xander reminded her "When damsels are in distress I tend to go with the gut."

Revy laughed cruelly, "Does that include when the Damsels rip off the mob for a few million." She poked Xander in the chest, "You're lucky that Balalaika didn't chop you up for fish bait."

"So what did she do to you?" Buffy asked suspiciously, "I mean obviously she didn't kill you but..."

Xander knew where her questions were going, had known since he vowed never to speak of his time in this city of darkness. "She made me kill the girl." Xander said flatly.

"...And you did it just like that." Buffy exploded.

"She had the girl drained and sired." Xander explained with cold calmness, "Balalaika then locked me in a room with her overnight. You know as well as I do newly raised vampires are barely controllable and pretty much kill on sight. So yeah I killed her just like that."

Buffy looked at her friend unbelieving, "Are you kidding me, what did she get out of doing that?"

"I defied her Buffy, one of the big four. In this town, going against Chang or Balalaika or any of the other syndicate bosses is pretty much like cutting your own throat in shark-infested water."

Revy explained, "When Boss Chang or Balalaika want someone dead they are gone no questions asked. As near as I can tell, the only reason Big Sis let him live was because of his undeniably cute ass and because he impressed her. Not many people have had the top hunters in this city on their tail and lived to tell about it."

"What kind of place is this?" Buffy sighed in disbelief,

"Now you see why I had to come back," Xander explained, "why I had to bring someone like Faith who could deal with what this place is and what it can do to someone to live here long enough. Once I knew the Slayers were down here; I knew it was only a matter time. Imagine someone like Roberta running around with the powers of a Slayer." Xander muttered.

Buffy shuddered but she wasn't thinking of Roberta. Buffy's gaze was all on Revy; violent, sadistic, and barely controllable. She imagined her with the abilities of a Slayer and Buffy had to reluctantly agree with Xander, A bunch of Slayers educated by the kind of people that could comfortably call this place home, was too terrifying a concept to contemplate. This city was dangerous.

Roberta swept into the room. "I'm ready."

She was dressed head to toe in a Victorian maid's outfit complete with headpiece and immaculate white gloves. The black maid's dress brushed the floor almost concealing the combat boots she was still wearing underneath. She had even managed to find a set of glasses to wear. The only out of place touch on the outfit was the twin bandoleers of weapons strapped around her.

"Now that is a sight which brings back a lot of bad memories." Revy snorted, recalling this was how Roberta had looked when first their paths had crossed.

Xander ignored the gunslinger. "It's time for us to go then. I'm getting worried about what's happening up at the Church." he cleared his throat. "Ladies and Gentlemen anyone who is still breathing naturally and who'd like to keep doing so should move quickly and quietly to the trucks out front. We are saving your lives."


	22. Chapter 22

***

Faith and The Freelance Trio waited at the main Church Gate. A seething mass of undead figures shuffled about looking at them with hunger and anticipation.

"Now I know how the turkey feels at Thanksgiving." Rotton said softly.

"You ever fight zombies before?" Faith asked dispassionately.

Shenhua looked at them. "People I kill normally dead after I work on them not before. Usually stay that way too." she said while nervously twirling a throwing dart in her fingers.

The Slayer nodded, "Zombies are all instinct and desire. They will keep coming as long as they can physically move. Some varieties can keep moving even after you cut off their heads. So start with the limbs and work your way though, -- Cripple Dismember; then kill."

"**How are we to do this?"** Sawyer asked

Shenhua and I take the lead," Faith answered, she turned to Rotton "Wizard you're on fire support," Faith turned to the Cleaner, "Sawyer when we drop one you finish them off."

They all nodded in acknowledgment.

The Army closed on the gates with Faith and the others in their path.

"You got some nice skin girly." One of the creatures sneered, "Let us pass and I'll take it easy on you when I peel it off so I can wear it."

Faith responded by punching him hard enough she felt his bones pulping with the force of her blow.

Rotton gunned down two then watched as Shenhua made short work o them slashing away their un-life. He then spun quickly shotting another in the head as it made a break for the gate. "I hold no animosity toward you but I'll die before I let you harm my companion." the silvered haired mercenary vowed even as he stood posing with his weapons.

The creature came roaring back at Rotton backhanding the man and sending him skidding backward. The zombie cackled delightedly until an angry roar of a Chainsaw, like a hungry predator on the hunt announced that Sawyer the Cleaner was on the job.

Sawyer swung her chainsaw around cutting the legs out from the beast and sending it sprawling in a dismembered heap to the ground. Another luckless foe was cut down to land on his brother. Sawyer then buried the spinning blade in the both of them, pureeing their insides. A grim smile of satisfaction never left her normally dour face the whole time she butchered her foes.

Another two rushed her. "Let's see how tough you are without your precious saw." One of the zombies snarled as he and his companion closed on the Cleaner. With her primary weapon lodged in the two bodies jerking at her feet, they mistakenly thought her helpless.

Far from helpless, Sawyer moved like a kind of dancer. She smirked as several inches of curved and razor sharp blade slid into her palms from their hidden sheathes in her sleeves. She silently thanked Rotton who earned his moniker of "The Wizard" for, among other gifts, his ability to modify common butcher's knives into dangerously lethal weapons. Moving rapidly she used their razor sharp edges to slash at the creature's chests managing a perfect Y incision on both with only a few startlingly quick movements. Her enemies were suddenly busy trying to keep their insides contained behind the textbook perfect autopsy cuts.

Rotton was back on his feet and fired at the beasts driving them back until Sawyer could retrieve her chainsaw that she used to take down the undead duo.

Faith and Shenhua ended up back-to-back cutting down foes with lethal grace. Faith saw a Zombie drawing a bead on her with its rifle.

"Need a blade," Faith cried out and Shenhua barely hesitated in passing her two throwing darts.

"Sister needs blades of her own," The assassin bitched halfheartedly.

"If we survive this I'll look into that." Faith snapped. The Slayer snatched the darts and hurled them with enough force to sink them in the eyes of the zombie trying to shot them. He screamed loudly at the intruding sharpened metal and clawed at his eyes. Faith ran at the fiend eating up the distance with huge strides as the monster pulled the trigger of his gun trying for a little spray and pray,hosing the area down trying in vain to score a lucky hit on the Slayer and her allies. Faith swung her sword around in a graceful arc. She barely felt the sensation as undead flesh yielded to razor-sharp steel. She took a stance and reversed the blade stabbing outward in a cutting slash that practically disemboweled the zombie gunman.

Shenhua, not to be outdone, gathered the tether holding her blades together in one hand and threw both blades at the same time. Only Faith with Slayer-enhanced vision was able to appreciate what happened next. The Taiwanese killer began a deadly dance of grace and co-ordination. Spinning and whirling both weapon and body to a beat that she alone could hear. foes closing on her literally exploded as they were diced and gutted as she stabbed and slashed with a finesse that would have shocked an Olympic crowd. After finally clearing a wide circle around them, the assassin caught her weapons.

"That was surreal." Faith admitted

"Slayer sister getting good herself." Shenhua grinned wildly.

Nobody was kidding themselves though; they were holding their own but the undead army was driving hard at them. However the foursome started to follow a pattern. Shenhua and Faith would hack off limbs leaving the zombies writhing on the ground. Sawyer would follow along behind carving up the still wriggling foes with deft movements of her saw while Rotton rained coving fire on the all foolish enough to get close to any of the girls. Their grim work continued until a shout from the Church courtyard alerted the foursome that the Russians had taken the field.

Balalaika cried out a command and her Spaznetz trained killers opened fire; mowing down dozens of undead troops.

Faith saw the survivors slowly rising themselves. The Slayer ran full speed among their ranks hacking limbs off trying desperately to break their will to fight. Suddenly Bella and Maria were there; hacking, slashing and crippling many foes with Slayer-enhanced punches and kicks. Faith suddenly found she was surrounded and screamed her annoyance as she jumped on top of one foe and began moving swiftly across their ranks using their heads and shoulders as stepping-stones, cutting heads and slashing bodies as she moved with unerring accuracy.

"Fire in the hole!" Maria screamed.

Faith dived though the air even as a RPG sailed underneath her. She felt the heat and shock wave of the explosion licking her body as she curled in a ball and crashed down with a grunt that was not her own. She opened her eyes and saw Bella had caught her.

She rose to her feet and they scrambled back into the Church courtyard. From there everyone watched as the Zombies rallied themselves.

Claxton smiled, "I have encountered very few problems in life that could not be solved by the strategic application of hi-explosives."

Faith cursed, "This is getting ridiculous. They just keep coming." She growled

Claxton looked at the scene grimly, "They remind me of the Viet-Cong." The veteran soldier muttered thoughtfully.

Boris looked at the American General wryly, "I was going to compare them to the Muhajdeen." the Sergeant said recalling the seemingly endless freedom fighters that had battled the Russians during the Soviet-Afghan war.

Balalaika smiled coldly, "The difference, Comrade Sergeant, is that the Afghans were relentless because they had God on their side. I'm not sure what's keeping these creatures on their feet but I'm fairly certain it isn't God."

"Indeed, while I'd normally admire such tenacity in battle," Rotton asked, "I am wondering however if there isn't something we are missing? What is the point of their attack?"

The group watched as the many bodies created by Faith and the Trio were collected by some of the zombie troops. The carcasses that were still whole were being raised back to life but it was the body parts that drew Faith attention. Parts too small to make an actual body were fused to those who remained in one piece and all too quickly Faith got the idea.

"I think I know, look." Faith said tersely,"The more we kill the more raw materials we give them and I'm betting the new whole is stronger than the sum of its many, many parts."

Suddenly there was a squawk from the radio at Balalaika's belt. She snatched it up.

"Big Sister," Revy's voice was loud

"Two Hands," The Russian sighed with barely concealed annoyance, "we're a little busy at the moment."

"Too busy for a little additional muscle? We got the Maid and Cheerleader in tow plus a small army of Slayers from the island they'd like to kick some ass."

Balalaika looked out at the army facing them, "They are welcome to join us what is your ETA."

We had to pick up a few survivors and Dutchy- Boy is bringing some hardware. You should be seeing us any second.

Boris watched his commander as she became once more the brilliant and uncompromising tactical genius that had kept them alive in the deserts of Afghanistan so long ago. "They have the main road locked down will you need assistance getting though?"

Revy cackled, "Are you kidding me? If I weren't involved, I would want to be front row centre to see this shit go down. We're going to turn that place into something out of a goddamn Peckinpah film."

"Understood," a predator's smile cut across Balalaika's damaged face. She was indeed enjoying this."Make it a good show Two-Hands." Maybe she was enjoying the carnage a bit too much.


	23. Chapter 23

***

A pain unlike anything Garcia had ever felt tore though his skull. Yet his head stayed attached. The young Lovelace wondered if not dying was blessing or a curse. Death, pain, battle, despair and still more death; creatures of darkness beings from realms both heavenly and from hell and yet more death. All of it played across Garcia's young eyes searing him to his very soul. Was this what it was to be a Slayer to be tortured by visions of the creatures it was your destiny to fight.

"Focus, Young Master Lovelace," Corruption hissed, "See the world as it was. Allow the currents of decay to carry you forward. "

*FLASH*

Manuela lies in the damp and the dark. She cries, her mother is gone and she knows that it is only a matter of time before they find out she is like the others. Stronger then she should be, faster then she should be, and the dreams, the terrible, terrifying dreams. She wants death, begs for it and prays to an uncaring God for it. "Please god let me die?" she begs. She knows she cannot take her own life. It would be a mortal and unforgivable sin.

"Why?" A still small voice asks.

"God…?"

"I have been called such, not for a long time though."

"You are not God?"

"…Nor his son the sacrificial lamb or his prudish virgin mother you also believe in. Honestly if she actually looks like she does in your mind then I'd say it was a waste of a good virgin."

"Then you are saying that God cannot save me from this life."

"If he could help you, he would have already.. Since he isn't talking to you and I am maybe you should take your miracles where you find them child."

"Who are you?"

"I am Corruption, I am decay, and if you want my help child you will have to earn it."

Manuela's heart fell, was this not always the way, you never got anything for free in this world not even death. "Tell me how."

*FLASH*

The new camp is just like the others, except now all the girls are like her -Slayers- she hears that world in her manic dreams.

"You hear General Sheu told the Lawyers off "One of the guards' gossips to his partner on the watch as they patrol the pens where the Slayers are kept like livestock.

"He's been smoking what he grows." His friend snorts derisively, "The lawyers won't take that lying down; they'll come."

"Not as long as he has the Slayers to fight for him and the wacky root to make them invincible." The guard replies while looking at the slave pens where Manuela crouches like the animal they believe all slaves to be. "You want to try one… just to see what their like."

His friend is looking at a small girl. The little girl's name is Shunsi. Her destiny isn't to be raped by some filthy guard who will take her in the muck and the rain. Her destiny is both grander and more tragic. Manuela can see him, the Japanese Man drowning in darkness. He will rescue Shunsi; take her away from this life. He will train her, guide her, guard her and counsel her. He will make all her dreams come true save for one; and there are worse fates then being ignored by the one you love. His heart belongs to one who does not know the value of what she holds. She isn't capable of understanding its value, not like Shunsi can.

She rolls Shunsi over, effectively hiding the girl, while opening her shirt. It's only a little thing and it will be over quickly. She can tell that even without the gift of prophecy.

"I think maybe the crazy one." The guard says eagerly, "She looks like she wants it; she's older anyway. You know how the boss is; he likes the break in the virgins himself."

*FLASH*

Garcia cringes from the visions trying to push them away. But as one image piles on top of another; mages of life as a Slave, as a tool; life so far beyond anything Garcia has ever personally experienced. He is beginning to wonder if he is losing his young mind. Then as the images continued, the young boy starts to think that maybe insanity might be a more merciful thing. Garcia's tortured dreams continued unabated driving him forward though Manuela's suffering

*FLASH*

She is talking to The Corrupted One again

"I not sure how to do what you want me to do?" Manuela asks misery thick in her voice. She knows she just does not want to do it.

"Betray those who would protect you. That shows a kind of corruption of the soul that is music to me. Betray them all one by one."

"Betray them to who…?"

"To each other, many of your would-be protectors and benefactors are enemies. So in trying to use you they will destroy each other."

"…and if I do this…and bring you a vessel; then you will grant me my request?"

"There is no if, Little Slave; you will be my instrument to frustrate and destroy the plans of my enemies. You will be the means that humbles the Three Who Rule as One. The Vessel will assist you."

"Where will I find such a person?"

"You already know how to find them you just aren't desperate enough yet you've already seen her."

"The Hunting Dog," Manuela realizes with dread in her voice. "But to do as you ask…her rage and her hate. She will hunt and kill us. Destroy our homes and our lives for the sake of her revenge."

"If death is truly what you seek then you will never find a more fitting subject then one who so reeks of it that the stench is maddening even to her."

*FLASH*

Garcia's father rallies a cheering crowd. They shout their support, their love. Behind Diego watching, always watching is Roberta."

Lucentes is in the crowd. He turns to a white man, Garcia recognizes him as a man called Ethan Rayne IN this surreal dreamscape he is lost in he noolonger questions why He knows theman or the combination of fear and loathing that wells up in him at the sight of the chaos mage,

"You see," Lucentes explains, "The Bloodhound protects him, never leaves his side. If The Lawyers want me to deal with Lovelace, we have to deal with her."

Then you are fortunate my friend," Rayne smiles as he pats a young girl's head Rayne likes to call her The Sample. Rayne takes her everywhere; her purpose is to show his clients what can be theirs if they but give him their money. "I may have a solution but my help won't come cheap."

"Don't worry about money," Lucentes promises, "I know someone with deep pockets and resources to spare. The Lawyers want it done quietly with no traces leading directly to them.

"So your benefactor will have to be assured that killing Lovelace is in their best interest.

"For which you will be well compensated."

"Then I have something made just for this kind of situation. Have you even heard of Vampire Slayers?"

*FLASH*

Lucentes has brought Dinkins to the camp. The NSA man wants to see proof of the Spaniard's claims before he commits any of the NSA's substantial slush fund money to the purchase of a slave; even one that can move huge boulders and dodge and withstand bullets.

Dinkins is impressed already he has seen one girl who really catches his eye. Her Latin looks inflame his desire to despoil her, even as her natural combat capabilities impress his more professional interests.

The problem is, that girl, is not Manuela and The Corrupted has already made it clear that joining this man and his secret mission is the only way to proceed forward with her own agenda. She has tried to be subtle and show capability but in the end, these have proved useless. When he notices her at all, he simply looks at Manuela and then through her as he moves on. She must find something else he wants.

She casts her mind adrift as she has learned to do. Manuela sees the salve he intends to buy, a young girl, Maria is her name. In the visions, she is crying.

"What did he do to you." The Farm Boy asks angrily. He looks at the man Dinkins with hate in his eyes. He obviously wants to kill the NSA man himself. Maria describes the act in detail. Manuela doesn't think it will be difficult to pretend she likes that sort of thing as Dinkins draws near she whispers in his ears promises of acts that, in her broken heart, disgust and humiliate her but which she knows Dinkins enjoys.

He is intrigued by her flattery as men always are. Seduction is all well and good but there is something to be said for simplicity and lack of pretense. Manuela's only compensation for her degradation is that Dinkins is a walking dead man. The Mad Maid's shadow covers them all and already Manuela can see that fearsome shadow blotting out Dinkins' path. Dinkins declares that purchasing one is not enough. They will need two, one for primary use and a backup in case of emergency.

*FLASH*

At last Manuela meets the Farm Boy. His name is Riley Finn. Manuela feels like she knows him and in the asking she can feel his arms and his smell. He loved her ...no not her, another Slayer, two others actually. He can be trusted.

She isn't worried about Finn. He isn't like Dinkins., The NSA man only tried to use her twice after the purchase. The second time, she does something she saw in her visions and dreams. A nerve cluster that a woman of normal strength would be unable to use. A Slayer's strength... however is much greater and, if you don't care about if he will ever be able to get it up again, the method can impair his sexual functioning for hours, sometimes days. However if you do it wrong of course the person won't be able to respond sexually ever again. A well-placed thumb or finger right at the point of climax is the key and Manuela is not that concerned if Dinkins lives or dies let alone if he ever has sex again.

Maria is there as well, happy and healthy. The man Sanchez likes spending time with her. He shows her how his laptop computer works. Maria listens and enjoys his company. Manuela listens and files the knowledge. Later as everyone sleeps she replays the scene over and over. She takes advantage of the first opportunity when Sanchez leaves the computer unattended. She knows so much about this tool and yet has never touched one in her life, in the darkness of the barracks, she begins to use what Sanchez has unwittingly taught her. Carefully she reaches out not with her mind but across the web. Sanchez would explain to her if he were there that she is hacking several FTP sites and linking them to the closed servers that General Sheu Yen and Ethan Rayne have been using to quietly promote their flesh trade of the Slayers. The Corrupted assures her that she is doing well. But Manuela wonders. What are the chances that someone, anyone will see the videos she finds and uploads to the world. What are the chances that anyone will even care about animals like herself and those she left behind in the camps?

*FLASH*

The fog clears and Garcia is himself for a time. He realizes now what the Corrupted wants from him. The one thing The Old One, Manuela even his precious Roberta, treasure above all other things …his innocence. His lack of knowledge was an ironic shield against the world. Now the horrible images come pouring in. Bring with them scenes of all the horror that the world is capable of and more, and when that flow is complete Garcia knows that all that will be left of him will be the perfect breeding ground for the Old One to manifest himself.

Surely there must be a way to defeat his plans. Someway of stopping the Old One's agenda. Some means of ...

"No Grandfather," The voice again panicked but still soft and nonthreatening, "you must follow the pathway. Follow my voice come to me. Everything you need to know you can learn if you just trust and come to me I will be waiting Grandfather."

Garcia wonders if he can trust anything in this strange dream space but even as he opens that line of thought images com rushing in . More and more pain and Garcia is lost on a sea of memory. Garcia wonders if this continues will he become like Manuela caught between insanity and praying for death and willing to destroy and betray to achieve either goal.

***


	24. Chapter 24

* * *

Well here we are at last getting near the end

This is where things get well and truly eff'ed so if I lose a few people here I just want to say that I thank those of you who patiently and not so patiently came along on the ride. I hope you had fun and got a good show. I want to thank my friends at the Black Lagoon Forums and Twisting the Hellmouth -- their encouragement and advice really helped shape the better parts of this --and the occasional kick to the ss got me restarted when things were bogging down.

-AN-

* * *

While Faith and The Freelance Trio were fighting off the zombie siege The main road to the Church was teeming with still more of the fiends. Even with the help of the defenders inside, the Zombie soldiers had managed to take out quite a few fleeing citizens. Even more disturbing for the defenders was that the dead would be quickly raised back to un-life and given weapons. They would become part of a growing army of un-dead ringing the structure and getting stronger.

Hearing approaching vehicles, the zombies prepared to kill yet more humans. "Direct all fire on the target when it comes in view." a beret wearing zombie cried out to the others. They opened fire as a jeep came flying around a corner fishtailing wildly as it ploughed though the siege lines.

Far from being stopped by the gunfire, the occupants of the jeep had been expecting resistance and unleashed their own brand of hell. Several of the zombies were cut to shreds by well placed shots from the vehicle's female occupants, especially from the two gun wielding woman with her head out of the roof of the jeep.

They caused so much mayhem that virtually nobody noticed the two large trucks that came barreling in behind them to brake wildly at the Church's front door. A stream of people began disembarking shuttled inside by Eda and Yolanda while Balalaika's men provided covering fire, not that Buffy, Roberta or Revy really needed it.

"Score one for the stunt driving skills of the one-eyed god of mayhem." Xander screamed joyously as he swerved the jeep closely around a group of zombies who were brutally slashed at by Buffy who was hanging out of the Jeep's shotgun seat.

Roberta let loose deadly and precise gunfire from the Mossberg in one hand while in the other was the antique rifle she had reconditioned to be considerably more deadly. She had taken the backseat post along with Revy who was hurling abuse and gunfire with equal abandon.

"Come on bitches," Revy screamed as she alternated between auto-gunfire and shotgun blasts.

"Hey Revy," Xander cried out, "Take it easy. Remember you got to keep those things filled or..."

Shut-up, Dumb-Ass; you're harshing my buzz." she screamed,"Now stop this piece of shit. I want to rock and roll."

Xander did as he was told and as the Jeep skidded to a halt. Two-Hands launched herself out of the Jeep to land on top of a zombie. She plunged the needles of the Dragon pistols into the throat of the beast before banging off a shot at still another.

She ran at a group of three, tackling them all. Two of them got the Dragon's needles plunged into their necks. A sick gurgling thrilled Revy's soul as the two died to give her weapons life. The third was getting back to his feet when Revy lashed out in a kick that caused him to double over. She marched toward him kicking him again to make him fall helpless to the ground.

Revy stepped on his neck to keep his struggling body from moving jamming her guns to its head. "Hey fish," She hissed "There's this really cool kill-shot I haven't tried on these beauties hows about you and me we play a little game of Lab Rat?"

A flicker of light betrayed a sniper taking aim at her. Revy levelled the Carpathian Dragon thinking "Blood Bomb!" as she fired at the distant sniper. The gun produced a cloudy almost liquid stream that shot across the space between gunslinger and target. The cloud surrounded the creature seeping into every nook and cranny of its body. The shot had landed dead centre and Revy cursed as it appeared her new weapon's most powerful shot had done nothing. Then the fiend started screaming growing to almost obscenely bloated proportions before finally exploding in a red mist of bone and blood.

Revy looked at the weapon in her hand and its almost empty blood chamber and smiled evilly "This day just keeps getting better and better." She looked down at the zombie who was actually begging for its life in a reasonable approximation of English. "Sorry, sweet cheeks, we're all out of mercy." She snarled before jamming the needle into its back and watching as the chambers refilled with blood.

"Hey I hate to interrupt your personal moment but we're on the move." Buffy snapped as she ran past.

"Relax Cheer-girl; I got my crap under control." Revy said as she snapped off another shotgun blast at a zombie in front of the running Slayer.

Roberta stayed with the vehicle filling and emptying the shotgun in a blur as she unleashed hell. Between them the three women drove a wedge through the enemy lines.

Xander fired up the jeep rolling up to the door and throwing himself out on the far side to avoid the return fire that occasionally came his way.

Rock had joined the group at the Door. At his side was the young Slayer Shunsi. "I'm trying not to worry about the fact we are making our big last stand in a church." he said to Xander

Xander smiled "Oh come on, Sundance, this is when things are going to get fun."

Rock found himself smiling as well, "I always pictured myself as more like Butch then Sundance."

Faith looked at the two men doubtfully, "Number one it's the Killer that has the climax in a Church not Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and for another thing, you morons might want to recall that Butch and Sundance die at the end."

What Butch and Sundance had to say about her criticism was lost amid the fire and smoke as one of the trucks took enemy gun fire and finally exploded sending hot metal spiraling into the air and shoving a fleeing refugee to the ground. Xander broke from cover and picked her up. He began running with her back toward the church. Rock dashed through the firestorm to help him with Shunsi on his tail.

Suddenly one large zombie came out of the dust and smoke firing at the two men as he came. Revy's scream cut across the battlefield. "Get the fuck away from my partners bitch." she unloaded both barrels at the creature watching with glee as the zombie screamed and then exploded raining blood and bone across a small area.

She walked over calmly to Rock and Xander. "When you pansies are done hiding under a rock would ya both get yer asses back in the church you aren't doing anyone any good out here."

The boys were raising when another fiend came running at them full tilt Rock had only a second to note the depleted reserves on the guns Revy was holding "Revy be careful your guns are..."

Revy instinctively whirled and shot at the creature. It too exploded in gouts of scarlet.

As the smoke cleared; Revy, looking deathly pale, looked back at Rock. "Crap I forgot about that part." she murmured before dropping to the ground in a swoon.

"Revy" Rock screamed out grabbing her pale body. Several zombies swarmed in.

Rock screamed his defiance to the world and snatched up Revy's discarded weapon. He barely felt the sting as the Dragons latched on to him and sucked his blood.

"Burn" He screamed, the gun fired and a Zombie went up in flames

"Burn" he repeated sending RPG fire at two more, the resulting explosion caused a third to burst into flame as well.

"Burn" he screamed with hysterical anger and a now a half dozen exploded, flames licking at the ground and battlefield setting all they touched alight and scorching all the rest.

"Rock," Xander cried out grabbing the man and pulling his aim away from the next group he was intending to fry. "You're killing yourself, Revy doesn't need vengeance she needs help."

Rock blinked, looking like he was waking from a dream. He looked down and saw Revy was still alive. Her shallow breathing and pale skin were definitely a sign that she was on the brink of death but she was still breathing. She was still alive for now, how long she stayed alive might depend on what was done in the next few fleeting minutes.

"If we can get her inside; maybe Willow can do something." Xander insisted.

Rock nodded and with the help of Shunsi the two men gingerly picked up the gunslinger and carried her inside the Church of Violence while the battle continued to rage around them.

Eda and Yolanda stood at the doorway firing at anyone stupid enough to get too close.

Xander was amazed to see the Yolanda still wielding her trademark gold-plated Desert Eagle. She dropped a zombie with a head shot from the hand-cannon, its massive kickback apparently not even fazing the elderly nun.

"Thanks for putting up with us Sister." Xander said as politely as possible given the crisis.

The old woman smiled at him, "The Good Book says the Gates of Hell shall not prevail against his church. I'm no expert but I don't think a zombie infestation qualifies as an exception to that rule."

"Hey Boy-Toy," Eda said curtly, "I hear you and your friends were tearing the place up." She pulled the door closed.

"Don't blame me, " Xander grumbled, " Buffy and Roberta want to burn the city to the ground. I'm hardly going to try and stop them unless I have to."

Eda cursed when she saw how badly hurt Revy was "What happened to her?" Eda snapped

"She over did it with those guns." Xander reported, "They drained her almost dry of blood."

"We have to get her to a hospital, get her help." Rock was still in shock and looking decidedly pale himself.

"Great plan; how are we supposed to get her out of here past the army of the dead outside. What about Willow where is she?" Xander asked

"Ms Rosenberg is trying to breach the chamber downstairs whatever that door is made of it has resisted some pretty hefty attempts to open."

Roberta asked coldly, "What about Master Garcia? Where is he?"

"Down in the Inner Sanctum, The doors sealed after them and they haven't come out."

"...And you haven't yet tried to break through?"

"Dear that is about all they have been trying. They've used everything short of explosives. The feeling is that you might not understand should your Young Master end up as a stain on the wall because the boys got a little too frisky with the plastic explosive."

"A shaped charge should do, " Roberta supplied grimly, "I will take care of it if the rest of you are unwilling."

"Good, that young girl, Fabiola; she has been losing her mind down there and I think she was going to try beating against the door with her rage any second."

Rock and Xander continued fretting over a wounded Revy, "Relax Boys," Eda said to them, "We have something here that will work for a simple blood transfusion."

"Blood transfusion, are you kidding me?" Xander asked.

Eda replied,"if all that's wrong is that she is couple of pints low then a transfusion should help her out."

"… Except that none of us is a match for Revy." Xander pointed out.

"Actually yes we do have a match." Eda shot back, "You are a perfect match for Revy."

Xander was startled and latched on to her stopping her departure. "What do you mean I'm a perfect match. How do YOU know?"

"I mean you have a matching blood type for Revy. "Eda snapped "Now let's grab the stuff and do this thing."

"...and how do you know what her blood type is...or mine for that matter?" Xander asked

"Are you kidding, " Eda asked as if Xander was simple, "I know a little about everyone in this town worth knowing anything about. "

"Very Funny Eda; Now answer his question, How much do you really know about everyone?" Dutch asked. The argument had drawn a small gathering.

Eda sighed and named off the blood types of every major citizen of Roanapur in the room.

Xander looked betrayed but Eda was obviously having none of that. "You can't tell me you didn't already know this about me Xander."

"I knew you had access to information but..."

"Exactly I get access to the information that might someday prove useful. You find out the things people don't want you to know and you make sure that you can use the information when it's needed no matter what it is. Now let's get that blood transfer working."

Yolanda acted as a field medic and swiftly connected Xander and Revy to a machine. Soon Xander was watching as blood flowed effortlessly between the two.

He turned to Eda. "So how long have you been keeping this little secret?"

"I keep a lot of secrets; you already knew that about me. That was why you came to see me in the first place when you were looking for a lead on who might be running slaves out of Roanapur."

"You know what I mean Eda." Xander said tiredly.

"Xander you blew into town with an insane story about demons and vampires. Virtually the day afterward, weird stuff started happing in a town in which weird was previously defined by a pissed off citizen not getting their head blown off by a random gun-toting stranger. I was running back ground on you as soon as I could."

Yolanda took up the tale when Eda went silent, "Naturally Eda had already made inquiries into Rebecca's past, such as could be known anyway, thus we were quite surprised when one of the tests came back with a positive match." The old woman stared at the transfusion tubes as if their contents were a puzzle to be reasoned out.

"What does it mean?" Xander asked.

"You know what it means Xander" Eda replied with serious sincerity in her voice "Revy must be...could only be...your long lost sister."

Xander paused at her words a second before noticing the amused glimmer in her eyes. "Go to hell you sadistic nympho bitch." He snapped while Eda laughed and cackled derisively.

"You should have seen your face -- Revy is your sister -- Honestly Xand you are such a blast sometimes. Eda smiled airly, "I mean really, Have you any idea how many people have matching blood types in this world. The number is astronomical. Statistically speaking, you're a blood type match for a few thousand people on this planet."

Roberta commented with cold politeness, "As delightfully amusing as this discussion no doubt is it brings me no closer to the release of the Young Master. If you will excuse me I have to see to his safety."

Xander cleared his throat, "Before we go with the blowing things up option. Mightn't we want to try, oh I don't know, knocking."

Yolanda looked at him, "Honestly, Alexander, you really can't think that didn't occur to anyone."

Xander startled at the rare use of his full name. "The Old One has been reaching out all day long," He explained "He did it to me at least once. I'm guessing that if we ask nicely he'll pop open the chamber on his own."

A voice cried out from the outside, "Give us the Old One and we'll let you live. Give us the Old One and we'll let you go."

"Are they serious?" Eda snapped,

"I doubt it. Killing us all is a lot easier from their point of view." Buffy said grimly, "I may not like the idea of giving up a Slayer to a deranged terrorist but I like the idea of her unleashing an Old One a hell of a lot less. "

Xander sighed "Haven't we seen this show before?"

Buffy nodded at him. "Been there, done that, T-shirts on order from the warehouse." sge said with a sigh.

Leaving Xander hooked up to an unconscious Revy, the ever fretting Rock and Shunsi at their side, The group headed down the basement where Giles and Willow were having an animated discussion that involved a lot of waving hands and pointing at the walls and the pictures and murals thereon.

As near as Buffy could figure, their dispute focused on the proper interpretation of several phrases. A poem of sorts scrawled on the wall about knights riding forth and fighting evil.

"I'm sure it's the Sumerian" Willow was insisting

Giles threw up his hands, "I'm telling you Willow it's too regimented to be Sumerian."

Willow read out loud

"the Thirteenth did save us all this day  
Thirteen by their own heart betrayed  
Thirteen needs must pass away  
but Thirteen alone can open the way."

Giles snorted, "That would make this bit over here make no sense."

He read the wall by way of explanation.

"By blood did we imprison  
by blood do we fight  
by our blood do we live  
and for our blood will we die."

Buffy gave a loud whistle that got the room's attention.

In the quiet of the moment, the door's massive lock clicked open.

"Well that was convenient." Willow snapped.

* * *

"The time of your service to me has come full circle Little Slave." The Corrupted sang in Manuela's ear "Time to enjoy the reward you have worked so hard to earn."

The Corrupted reached out and took her in its arms and kissed her delicately on the forehead. Manuela closed her eyes and when they opened again her eyes were a cold and featureless black and the Corrupted form sagged to the ground as a pile of dust.

Taking first one step and then another; stumbling at first as if walking and moving was a long forgotten dance that was now being relearned, The Corrupted stepped from the chamber and strode purposefully toward the door.

"My paralysis has left me I can move again, feel again." The Corrupted sighed, "My powers are diminished by my time in sleep but in time I will return to my full power and now thanks to the Little Slave, i have allies."

The Corrupted stretched out her hand and made a sign. the Door creaked and the inner chamber opened. "The time has come to properly greet them."

* * *

Roberta did not hesitate leveling the black powder rifle still held in her hands. it was obvious she intended to shot first and leave any questions for the plane ride home.

They moved down the short hallway to see Manuela standing over a prone Garcia.

Roberta flew at The Old One intending bloody vengeance. "What have you done!" she screamed,

"Garcia is enjoying a deep and fulfilling dream he is learning the terrible cost of becoming a Slayer."

"You will release him then or ..."

"You can do little to intimidate me Bloodhound you lack the means to destroy a God and even if you could, would you risk such action; not knowing if such an attack would doom your precious master to eternal dreams and nightmares. or worse death?"

"Is this so?" Roberta asked Willow who was examining Garcia.

"He's in a dream state alright pretty hefty one. I might be able to crack it given time ...and training, and you know without the whole rampaging army of undead looking to kill us."

"Its like he's a Slayer." Buffy said quietly, "He...feels familiar somehow like i know him. Like i've always known him."

"Your enemies gather. the boy may yet survive but should your foe penetrate this sanctum then he will die or be taken as a slave to the Wolf Ram and Hart."

"I'm not seeing the real advantage to him. You put him in a coma from which he might not wake." Buffy reminded the Old One angrily.

"He will wake when he chooses to. He is walking the road of Destiny. He can get off whenever he wants to but he must decide to come back."

"If you have harmed him in ..." The Bloodhound threatened harshly.

"Your threat might be better directed toward the army at your gates. Defeat them, and Garcia will have all the time in the world to awaken. Should they triumph however, and he will find no joy in awakening. Of this I can assure you."

"So what do we do Buffy." Riley asked his ex-girlfriend .

Buffy smiled, "Thanks for the vote of confidence," She closed her eyes. she had been here before. The odds against them, enemies at their back and now an ally that she could not fully trust, but might need in order to win the larger war. "We bunker down just like you were doing before." She said resolutely "Between them both Willow and Giles can figure out a way to bring Garcia back to us."

She turned to the Corrupted, "I assume you're going to want to help us defend this place since if it gets blasted your resting place is screwed as well."

"Once again I bestride this plain," The Corrupted intoned, "Once again I can bring unto the world the decay and darkness it so richly deserves."

"Yeah, you get on with your bad self." Buffy snapped.. She was seriously over the limit with her personal tolerance for drama queens on this trip, especially ancient demonic ones.

***


	25. Chapter 25

***

Rock was watching an unconscious Revy with worried eyes. Whatever else was happening to her she was obviously having a particularly intense dream...or nightmare. She was moaning softly and would occasionally curse people who Rock knew were dead

"She'll be OK Rock." Xander sat quietly willing his life's blood into this woman who he considered for better or worse, a friend or at least an ally.

"Rock looked at Revy. His eyes taking in her pale and sickly appearance, "You would think I'd be expecting this, preparing for it. The risks she takes; the life she leads. There's only one way it all ends. I know that and yet, here I am again, holding her hand and hoping, praying that one more time she is going to beat the odds."

"You wouldn't be any use to us or Shunsi if you weren't the type of person who looks at the way the world works and says -- screw the world."

"You have no idea Xander, she's ...there is a place she goes to. I try and understand but I can't; whenever I try..."

"Maybe you aren't meant to understand." Xander pointed out, "Revy's got battle scars she can handle that side of things but you're there when she needs someone and trust me, for her, that means something. You don't have to be a genius to realize Revy hasn't had someone she can depend on in a long, long time."

"Sometimes I wonder how much longer I can hold on."

"You'll hold on as long as you need to. Of course now you got Shunsi to take care of but you strike me as a man who craves a challenge ...not unlike my own self."

"Is that why you settled on Eda because you CRAVE a challenge."

"I don't know if you've noticed Rock, but Eda and Revy have a bit of a problem with competition." Xander pointed out, "the only thing more hazardous to your health then the both of them fighting over you is picking one over the other."

"...And while I am grateful to you for taking that pressure off me. Xander do you really expect anyone to believe that you could have two attractive women fighting over you and not once did you enjoy it."

"I never said I didn't enjoy it." Xander said innocently. I'm just surprised that I survived it."

"I woke up the next morning and there's Eda and I realize I have about twenty four hours to get out of town. Then Revy's going to come looking for me with both guns blazing ---you do remember saying this right?" Rock asked innocently

"Hey Revy can be scary as hell when she's pissed off. Besides," Xander whined," I told you that in the spirit of drunken brotherhood. "

"You were drunk," Rock replied confidently, "I was fine, you really ought to cushion your system better if you're going to try and out-drink a Japanese businessman."

Xander growled at Rock who looked at him arrogantly. Suddenly both men started laughing until tears flowed.

"So Rock, still wish you had a normal life. It's not too late." Xander smiled at the man.

When Rock finally calmed down, he sighed, "Normal life is boring, for better or worse I'm right where I want to be standing. Beside the only people I want to be standing with. If that\ isn't the miracle of miracles I don't know what is."

Xander smiled grimly, "I don't believe in miracles Rock I believe in my friends. We just happen to do miraculous things from time to time."

Rock looked down at this amazing woman who had done some amazing things in the time he had known her. Surely surviving this crisis was well inside the abilities of the great and terrible Two Hands, deadliest Gunslinger in Roanapur, "I'm sure she'll be OK; Xander." Rock said resolutely, "Revy is a survivor, in Roanapur that's the only thing that matters."

* * *

Revy was not fine, in fact Revy was scared.

She was cowering on the floor of the Yellowflag. The bar had been attacked and bodies surrounded her. There's Dutch lying on the floor, staring up sightlessly accusing her of not being faster or smarter. Benny; also dead and then there's Rock. The only reason he was even in this was because of her maybe the reason he was staying was because of her and now he was dead. The whole crew was dead. Everyone was dead except for her, but someone was coming to take care of that; a lot of some ones.

"Survivors, I hate Survivors," hissed the Commander of Extra Order. She remembered she had mocked man when he had said that during their first encounter. There was no thought of mockery today.

At his side were the Vampire Twins. Little children who had been so maddened by years of abuse and brutality that they had become perfect and remorseless killers. Their names were Hansel and Gretel their grinning faces, a mask of bloodlust.

She also saw that fat bastard from her childhood. A degenerate who had liked to take pictures of kids and when the kids had cried too much he would film ... things ...happening to them. "Where is that little bitch Rebecca?" he hissed as he played his video camera around the carnage of the bar. "She was the one I really want to see die."

"We all want to see that little skank die." The EO leader said. "You listening little girl, we've come a long way for ya and we aren't going back to hell alone. Long past the time you burned like we burn. Long past the time you died like we did." he was practically creaming himself at the thought of the blood and carnage he was going to unleash.

"Do you think she wants to play hide and go seek Sister?" asked little Hansel.

"Of course Brother, she loves games just like we love games. Come out, come out Rebecca." Gretel sang "Come and play we've learned fun new games since we died; Fun games with burning and slicing.

"We can play House; you like House don't you Rebecca, " The Pale little boy hissed.

"Ooh House is fun Brother," his demonic sister said with bloodthirsty happiness. "I can be Mommy who hates you for being too pretty."

"...And I'll be the Daddy who beats you for making him do naughty things to you." Hansel sang.

"...And when they're done with you; I'll finish you off." The EO Commander stepped closer to where Revy was cowering.

She suddenly sensed someone else there. A figure crouching next to her, the cloaked figure holds a bottle of Bacardi and is pouring shots out of it. "You know Rebecca, it's time to choose," the cloaked figure said quietly.

"Choose what," Little Rebecca snapped, "I can't fight all of them. Not by myself and there's always more and more. They always want to hurt me."

"Poor little Rebecca the little gang-banger from Mott street," whispered Corruption with a note of sarcasm, "Not your fault how you were born; not your fault how you survived."

"Well it isn't" The little girl snapped, "I never had a chance did I? Family, friends I got screwed big time so who the hell are you to judge. What would you know?"

"You sound like your father. "Corruption downed another Bacardi shot, " You know little Rebecca, One day soon you will understand that wanting power and having power are two very different things."

"Elder brother..." Revy heard a soft voice in the shadows, "It has been so long elder brother; so hungry, the boy ...he starves me."

Corruption sighed, "Another is coming, too bad too I had so wanted you for my avatar but there is still the Japanese boy. What a man does for love can corrupt him so much more thoroughly then anything else."

"It's time to play." The Mercenary commander cried out in joy as he shoved a table aside revealing Revy sitting on the floor alone.

"It is time to feast." Corruption's voice fills the bar, "Younger Brother welcome to a new and rich hunting ground. Feast and grow strong I think you will find this cub more to your liking."

A huge dog-like form leaped out of the shadows and landed atop the EO commander tearing at his throat with a vicious snarl. The man was dead before he even hit the ground. The dog then turned and tore at the Hansel, ripping the huge axe from his hands and crunching until the bones of his arm snapped like twigs. Gretel cried in fear at the leaping, moving shadow. She fired that huge Browning Auto at the shadow raking the bar as the Shadow flitted around. Then it was there, the dog jumped around the shots and landed underneath her bowling her over and grabbing her in its jaws. The creature tossed her into the air, and then caught her on the way down. It started shaking her from side to side until she stopped struggling. Now the beast moved at the fat man. Begging and pleading for his life he died on his knees the dog-like beast showed not a trace of mercy instead jumping on him and tearing at his chest and throat till he fell silent.

Revy backed away from the beast who was stalking toward her till it stopped and sniffed at her.

"You smell like pack but you cower like prey?" The Hyena asked,

"How did you...?"

"The boy inflamed his blood with the root of misery. What little trace remained of me was given strength, precious little strength to be sure. I was but a fading shadow. I might still pass from this plane to the next but you why do you smell like pack?"

"I don't understand." Revy whispered, suddenly, the beast jumped on top of her. She thought it would kill her but instead it pulled from her holster one of her guns. Had she really been carrying those all this time? Why had she not thought to fight, to kill, to defend herself?

"What is this?" The beast asked her, the gun clenched in its teeth.

"It's a gun." Revy supplied

"No, it's a thing of power. You worship things of power don't you girl? You like power."

"If you aren't powerful, you're just ...nobody I don't want to be nobody."

The Hyena shook its muzzle, "There is only one constant girl. There is hunter and there is hunted. There is predator and there is prey. Now which do you wish to be."

"Hunter, I want to hunt and I want to never have to be afraid again." Revy snapped.

"This is much richer hunting ground then ever the boy was; but there is so little left of me. If I give you what you seek, I will be like a breeze a slight scent on the wind, a still small voice in your ear. But for you perhaps that is all that will be needed."

"What will I have to do?"

"Are you sure this is what you want Rebecca?" Corruption asked

Revy looked over and saw the hooded figure sitting at the bar.

"More then anything I want to be powerful." Revy insisted,

"The path of power is a dark path, darker still then the path of corruption you were already on. It is a pathway that the boy already rejected."

"You will be nothing more then a cub for a time but given some time even a cub may grow then you will hunt and stalk prey, kill at your whim indeed, the female of is much more deadly then the male."

"I want that I want to be strong; I want to be powerful."

"Then look in my eyes Cub. Look in my eyes so that our souls can see into each other."

Revy looked into the eyes of the Hyena and she realized at last this was a primal force of nature; One that had existed since the dawn of man, maybe even before that. She looked and looked and as she fell into the vast teeming depths of the hyena's eyes she felt herself becoming part of something larger then herself. She was becoming part of a greater whole; she was becoming -- pack.

* * *

Revy opened her eyes. The hyena was gone, so too was the Yellowflag. Instead she was propped up on a pew in the Rip off Church and Rock was looking down at her while his little Slayer was bouncing around excitedly.

"Someone want to tell me what the hell happened to me? Cause I feel like crap. Did I get drunker then usual?"

"Those dragon guns you were using, they sucked out all your blood. You could have died; Xander and I had to carry you into the Church. Eda helped us save your life with a blood transfusion. You should take it easy you were pretty on the wire there for a bit."  
"Whose blood, if you let that skanky bitch nun put her diseased blood in my body…"Revy growled.

Xander's blood," Rock couldn't help but grin even as he tried to sooth her, "you are now the proud owner of a couple of pints of – grade A Harris - or at least that was what he told me to call it."

Slightly mollified, Revy sank back with her head in Rock's lap. "I was having weird dreams; about dogs I think and being in a pack and a guy with good drinking rum."

"Sounds like you had a bad dream, " Rock sighed, "The Door opened Garcia is in some kind of coma The Slayer is dead. Her body had been taken over by the thing in the basement. It's walking and talking for her now. It wants us to fight the army outside. The feeling is the enemy of my enemy..."

Revy continued for him, "...Will most likely kill the other guys before he thinks about fucking us. As plans go that sucks."

"I agree but it looks like we need her help to get out of this mess."

Revy grunted in pain as she struggled up from the reclining position and got to her feet unsteadily. "No way I'm sitting around while you play nursemaid if cool and freaky shit is going down."

The three of them wandered over to the tense gathering.

"OK one more time and this time use little words." Xander was saying as they joined the larger group.

"Look," Buffy said, "I'm going be the one to say what we're all are feeling. I have no intention of trusting that Old One as far as I can throw him."

"It doesn't matter if we trust it or not, that army outside will rip us to shreds if we don't do something and right now that something involves using every resource at we got. You think I like trusting my life to magic or whatever else is going on. But the dead are walking, and they can kill me just as dead regardless of if I believe in them or not." Dutch mused.

"I would feel better if we had an Option B," Buffy said and Xander nodded

"I think I might have something but I would need to talk to Sister Yolanda in the meantime, we got to finish fortifying the Church."

Eda exploded, "You're talking about turning the whole place into a fortress." She snapped.

Dutch nodded, "Every window and every door --except for the front door of course. I don't need a degree in mysticism and magic to realize that the last place we want to be is Ground Zero when that Old One drops the Hammer."

"I guess we could break up the wood in the church;" Xander said thoughtfully, "the pews, some other things. That would give us the material to create barricades for the doors and windows." He turned to Yolanda, "Assuming you don't have a problem sister."

Yolanda smiled wryly, "Given the choice between tearing up my church and dying I'll go with tearing the church apart thank you." she said.

"Are you all nuts," Buffy snapped, "does it at all register with you people that this thing hallowed out a young girl and is using her as a puppet."

"The young lady would appear to be dead already and it would appear to have been what the young lady wanted." Balalaika said calmly.

"Look I realize that end-justify the means is like the town motto. But out in the real world we try and make things better. And we sure as hell do not let some girl off herself out of a confused belief that saving the rest of us requires that kind of sacrifice."

"Buffy, Please..." Xander began

"Don't Buffy please me Xander Harris." Buffy snapped angrily "I've put up with a hell of a lot considering the fact you've been lying to us and keeping us in the dark about stuff. Judging by this hell pit you obviously had reasons, but this is Slayer Business now and the Xander Harris I know wouldn't sacrifice an innocent to achieve a goal under any circumstances period."

"Well if you have another option lets hear it B." Faith asked pointedly

"Lets do what we always do, FIND a way, research, work the problem; there must be an end run we can pull that we just aren't thinking of."

"...And what, we sit around and wait for the solution to bite us on the ass while Hell's Army marches into to kill us all. If that's your idea of a plan Cheerleader, you can play hide-and-go-fuck-yourself." Revy sneered.

Buffy sneered right back at her, "Yeah I'm really going to take my social cues from someone who almost died cause she had to screw around with magic weapons cause they were like sooo cool. Let me tell you The Rules of this game sister, you're lucky Xander was able to save your ass cause in this weight-class you could have lost a lot more then blood you could have lost a soul assuming you have one to lose."

"Well let me tell you how things work in Roanapur," Balalaika hissed while drawing her weapon,

Xander along with everyone else in the room tensed. Buffy was capable of and had in the past, dodged bullets. However even she couldn't possibly dodge a point-blank range attack. She would survive it however, and if she survived Xander was betting that no matter which of them won the inevitable fight every one depending on these two women would lose. However Balalaika seemed disinclined to use the weapon on Buffy so much as to display it as part of a tersely delivered lecture.

"Let me tell you about rules Ms Cheerleader. Weak people hide behind them because they are afraid; a nice warm blanket that coddles them from the harsh cold of reality. The truth is that power determines what is right and wrong. Regardless of if is this gun or your strength or Ms Rosenberg's abilities. Your power allows you to force your will on a world. Remake it as you wish it to be and make no mistake you are forcing your will on the world."

"I'm nothing like you people." Buffy snarled

"Really" Balalaika snapped, "How exactly are you are so different then me. One girl in the entire world that was the rule was it not but you broke that rule. Didn't you?"

" If I hadn't the world would have been swallowed whole. "

"A rule that served the world for thousands of years but you decided you knew better. You forced your will on the world and use your power to maintain that status quo. So far I'm not really seeing much of a difference between us."

"I'm not a criminal."

"I think the United States Government would beg to differ on that point are you not considered a terrorist organization. An interesting co-incidence how much a recent snatch and grab from a bank in Zurich resembled a similar one hatched by Mister Harris during his time here. I'm still not seeing any difference between us Ms Cheerleader. Save that I no longer bother trying to fool myself. There is no right; no wrong, no good no evil there is only Power and the willingness to use it. Who you use it against, that is the sum total of right and wrong in this world or any other."

Buffy was losing her temper fast in the face of the Russian's cold indifference, "There is a Slayer in there, one of our own."

"How can you help her B," Faith asked, "What, are you going to wave a wand and undo the powers of an Old One cause that's no easy feat. You're talking about something as powerful as that Hell Goddess Glory and the truth is that it wants to fight on our side. It wants our enemies defeated."

"Which should scare the crap out of you," Buffy snapped, "Nobody ever wants something for nothing. What are we going to pay for accepting her help defeating that force? "

"That's a question I would rather explore without the enemy's knife at my throat." Balalaika sneered.

"At least you can see the knife at your throat," Buffy reminded the Mob Boss, "how are you supposed to defend against the knife at your back."

By being powerful enough that the one holding that knife won't dare consider using it. As I said there is no difference between us Ms Summers except that you have so deluded yourself into thinking that wishing the world were a better place will make it so. I do not intend on dying here and I will do what is necessary; sacrifice what is necessary to achieve THAT goal and yes; that ends justifies any means in my mind. "

* * *

So the preparations began. The Corrupted retreated to the holy alcove where she sat murmuring to herself while Willow and Giles studied the markings on the wall to determine if there was anything they were missing. Fabiola watched over Garcia while Roberta loaded and reloaded her weapons while staring daggers at the Old One. At one point Willow was looking at Roberta's antique rifle and then the symbols on the wall.

"It couldn't be as simple as all that could it?" she asked aloud before asking the Maid for her weapon. Willow had a well deserved and notorious distaste for firearms so it was with some surprise to Giles that far from gingerly handling the weapon like it was a foreign thing, Willow closely inspected the rifle's stock and barrel. Finally calling Roberta's attention to the markings along the barrel.

What are these?" she asked.

"Manufacturers markings; most weapons possess them." Roberta explained.

"Not like these I'm guessing. ...And this is exactly the weapon that hung in your house?"

"That weapon has been in the Lovelace family since the first Lovelace patriarch used it to tame the land or so he said." Fabiola supplied.

"I had the weapon modded to accept modern ammunition but it is still essentially the same weapon that the First Lovelace used."

"The markings on the barrel match the ones on the wall. Those are similar to the markings on those Carpathian Dragons. I'm not sure but I think this is one of the Thirteen."

"Of course, " Giles said with shocked realization, "that would explain why the markings on the wall are so jumbled they have been rendered in the languages of the thirteen who came here."

"I'm not sure I know this tale please explain." Fabiola asked politely.

"Its an old tale that shows up in the myths of many different nations." Giles explained "The story goes that thirteen warriors were chosen to go forth and battle demonic evil they empowered several weapons to help them do it Willow believes your rifle to be one such weapon."

"Then this weapon can defeat the creature this weapon can kill it?"

"Oh Maid." The Corrupted mocked, " you can not use that on me. You are like family to the boy but you aren't family by blood. He is the only one who can use such a weapon. Of course if you have no problem with him doing your killing FOR YOU..."

"Its not that simple anyway." Willow said to calm Roberta down, "The Corrupted is transcendental being it manifests in a body but it doesn't require one anymore. If this body were damaged or destroyed it would just move on to another or retreat to the place it was in beforehand -- this sanctum."

"So we are helpless against it?" Roberta sighed.

"The only chance we had of stopping this thing died when Manuela choose to surrender her body to it."

"What do you mean?" Roberta asked.

By ancient pact no creature even one as powerful as this Old One can take a body without permission. Giles explained.

The Lovelace maids looked confused so Willow tired to explain, "Think of it like this," she said, "you are allowed to ring the doorbell, knock on the door, even play cheesy power ballads at 3am but the person inside the house must open a door or window for you to get inside."

Fabiola who had been raised in a barrio grasped that concept right away. "But doesn't that mean Manuela could revoke permission, fight for control of the house and force the creature out?"

"Yeah if she was still alive, standard procedure in situations like these is to destroy the current occupant. There is nothing left of Manuela now. Nothing except for a few memories that are hardwired in. That's why the Old One moves and speaks like her.

The rest of the team fell to preparation quickly. In moments Xander and his team had torn apart several pews and were nailing them quickly in place to shield windows and doors. With the sounds of sawing and hammering in the background the Foxes and Hotel Moscow gathered in the main lobby.

"Let's be on the same page folks," Claxton shouted, "We need to hold this spot until the doors and windows are sealed. After that Ms Rosenberg will need time to..." Claxton hesitated.

"…Work magic?" Riley supplied helpfully, clearly the commander was still having trouble incorporating the reality of magic into his worldview.

Claxton made a painful face before nodding and continuing, "That will secure this place against all possible invaders both the Russians and my men are on Fire support which will provide back up tactical support and secondary defence. Slayers will be on point they will co-ordinate their attacks with the fire teams. Once the hostiles are down it should be easy for the Slayers to dismember and kill them."

Xander piped up, "My team will be on fortifications. Willow will be using her abilities to re-enforce the barricades. But she will be available for emergency assistance as needed."

"What's the definition of emergency?" One of the Foxes asked

Willow answered the question herself. "A zombie chewing on your leg is not an emergency, anything higher up then that maybe --but that is a big maybe." Everyone in the room noticed that she did not sound as if she was joking.

Balalaika stepped up, "Gentlemen we have survived much this day our enemy believes they can scare you by using the dead as troops but they forget one thing. Most of the troops out there have fallen at your hands. That means if they weren't good enough to kill you before they sure as hell won't be able to do it this time. There will be no mercy and no pity. We will exterminate every one of them make them regret crawling out of their shallow graves to stand against us."

There was loud cry from the troops

"Excuse me," Claxton snapped loudly, "Sound out like you've gotta pair." The assembled troops shouted still louder until their voices echoed off the very rafters of the Church of Violence.

"Then let's get to work." Balalaika shouted.

***


	26. Chapter 26

***  
Garcia's dreams and nightmares continued

*FLASH*

"A disaster, a complete and utter disaster." Dinkins screams, being unable to perform has made him want to act out in other ways. The attempt on Xander Harris was the latest of several outbursts.

It is the after-mission briefing about the attack on Lovelace. The explosion went fine but The Maid is a complication that everyone except Lucentes and Manuela are surprised at. Manuela is surprised at the involvement of Harris. The original visions of the incident didn't have him there. She is also surprised at the fact she conquered the Maid until she realizes the truth. The Maid has never faced a Slayer until that moment. The scenes of death and murder she sees involving The Maid are her fault. She is the one who set the Maid on the path of vengeance against Slayers.

"I told you not to try and have her kill Harris," Riley is shouting, "What, you think, you're the first person to try and kill Xander Harris; I warned you." The Farm Boy rages.

Claxton calmly steps between Finn and Dinkins."Gentlemen, " Claxton says soothingly, "Lovelace is dead and the situation has been contained. If we bug out now, the civilian won't find anything linking us to the assassination.

Claxton is right, there is nothing, no trail that can be followed, but that can be fixed this was why she made contact with the Lawyers. Originally they were using Lucentes but she has promised them loyalty in exchange for freedom. Their price is the Corrupted, just as he said would happen. She isn't sure why the Corrupted wants the Layers to get so far in their plans and she doesn't care. He has also promised that her faithful service will be rewarded. That reward is all that concerns her and all she cares about. Death; a sweet release from this world of darkness where she is a plaything of fate.

*FLASH*

The Grey Foxes will be leaving for Thailand tomorrow; Lucentes is panicking.

"I haven't heard from Padro all week and now Alfred is missing too. You think that Kid From the Watchers had anything to do with it?"

There is chattering in the other end of the line.

Lucentes cuts him off. "Of course I haven't told them about the Bloodhound. The Lawyers forbade it but..."

More chattering

"You think I want to end up like that crazy General. The lawyers want Sheu Yen dead for defying them. No, I won't disobey...at least not exactly. Listen, that guy in the FARC, you know the one, is he still a friend of yours?"

Manuela nods just as the Corrupted predicted. Everything is in place save for one detail Xander Harris is following their trail, but not closely enough. Harris will need further encouragement and as The Corrupted has demonstrated nothing is better for getting The Young Watcher's attention like trying to kill him. Oddly enough knowing that Harris will survive the attempt on his life salves any guilt Manuela might feel at being the subtle agent of that attempt.

*FLASH*

She can hear Riley and Claxton in the next room playing chess and arguing. Lucentes is dead as is Dinkins The Maid is following them now and Manuela is sure that Harris is with her. The FARC contacted Lucentes for more information on Harris. She doesn't know where he is now. She can only see what Slayers see and Harris is steering clear of all Slayers until Roberta relents in her quest for vengeance. She opens her mind and sees images of battle combat harris fighting at the side of the Marines... a warehouse...of course the warehouse district if the FARC converge there they might find Harris of course the Maid will be there as well with such a killing ground there is bound to be an opportunity for her to meet her destiny.

"No cheating Little Slave. you will die with I am ready for it and not a second before first you have to being me the vessel."

"Why Lovelace, why not Harris let me lead him to you he is following us anyway

"It has to be Lovelace his blood got him into this just as surely as your blood did you. the patriarch of the thirteenth clan though i doubt he even knows what he's capable of."

But he doesn't know how to loosen the blocks on your cell."

But he can learn in fact he can learn the same why you did."

"but I have the curse of sight in order to learn as did he would have to gain that gift."

"yes he would and once he had it he would be subjected to all the delightful visions that keep you up at night. Yes...that's a wonderful idea Little Slave I'm glad you thought of it. "

*FLASH*

Garcia clutched his head. Surely there can not be much more to this how much pain can one person be expected to withstand.

"You will be fine Grandfather." The voice again the gentle voice. He wants to follow it follow find it, somehow that feels right. it feels ... right.

More images coming faster, the battle across Roanapur, The fight at the warehouse with The Maid and the Vampires. She sees Roberta standing over Garcia, she is holding a gun. Then Harris is there, fighting her, it is the devil's root and the drugs that have made Roberta so crazy with rage and hate that she no longer knows friend from foe. Only burning though the Root in her system will save her mind from fracturing in a thousand places but who can survive a fight with Roberta long enough for the madness to fade from her blood.

*FLASH*

The general looks at her like a piece of meat

"...and you say these people, these watchers; they have my property?"

"...And more besides; many, many, more; if they could be compelled to tell you where they are.."

"...And the lawyers they know about you betraying The Watchers like this

"They compelled me to come. They gave me no choice in the mater it was strangely comforting really."

"Of course it was, choice is frightening but after today that is a fear you will no longer need to concern yourself with. Now tell me about These Watchers."

*FLASH*

How much more of this could Garcia stand how much longer until his mand fractured like a china plate. if he could only go back only find his way ---"

"No Grandfather, you must be brave; follow my voice, it will lead you home there are things you must see."


	27. Chapter 27

Rock was helping Xander fortify the church. He was way more useful than some including the constantly whining Roan. Balalaika got them all moving by the simple means of pointing out that anyone not helping with the effort had time to discuss certain outstanding debts. Every citizen not wanting to have a heart to heart talk with Hotel Moscow's notoriously ruthless leader suddenly developed long dormant skills in carpentry and mechanics.

Xander directed his now much larger group in barricading the doors and windows and Rock was working on crafting a makeshift snipers nest when Shunsi started insistently tapped him on the shoulder. Despite Rock's best efforts thus far, she was still nervous about speaking to him without being spoken to first. Many of the ex-slaves were like that. Rock was hoping to work on the problem when the threat of their deaths was a little less of a pressing concern.

Upon gaining his attention, Shunsi pulled him away from his work. He noticed she was proudly displaying a bamboo training sword strapped to her back. She was pulling him past Buffy and Faith who were prepping the rest of The Slayers for the coming battle.

He followed Shunsi wondering what concerning her so. The youngster was pulling him toward the main door as he passed Buffy, he stopped for a moment.

"Miss Summers..." He said hesitantly, "I mean... Buffy, if Shunsi is ready to carry weapons why does she have a bokken,.. Sorry I mean a practice sword?"

"Relax Rocky; I know what a Bokken is I watch a lot of chop-socky cinema. "She waited for him to bleach a little before starting to laugh, "God you should see your face. Anyway she likes the bokken and considering she's a Slayer, even a bokken can be pretty damned effective when used with proper technique which I can tell you, she has in spades."

Shunsi grabbed both their hands chattering in Chinese excitedly. She had gained a rudimentary grasp of English but tended to slip back into Chinese when excited as it was her first language and the one she was most comfortable in. Rock promised himself he 'd work on this among other things with the girl.

The two adults followed the young Slayer to the door. Buffy looked out and her face turned grim. Rock looked as well and saw a young woman in Army Fatigues standing in the courtyard. She had a large poleaxe set casually across her shoulders. Periodically she would take drags from a cigarette.

"Get the others." Buffy snapped "Get them now."

Rock nodded and in moments the rest of the Scoobies were standing at the door. "She looks decidedly lively for a Zombie." Xander pointed out

"I'm going to go ahead and assume that she isn't dead, at least not yet." Buffy said grimly.

Willow peered at her with suspicious eyes, "She's also not human, at least not completely. There's something weird about her aura too."

Balalaika had joined them at the door and slipped past the group. "She is obviously asking for a war council. It would be impolite to not accommodate her." the Russian said as she marched out to meet her.

Ingrid waited until the Russian was close before exhaling and tossing her cigarette. "Guten Tag Miss Russian," She said smoothly, "I was wondering if I was dealing with heathens with no respect for the classic courtesies of war."

"Very Classic, diplomatic council prior to hostilities is archaic. It's almost unheard of in this day and age." The Mob Boss raised an eyebrow in annoyance, "I am Balalaika, I command Hotel Moscow if you want to speak, I'd do it sooner rather than later." she said tightly.

"The Senior Partners want the Old One. A great deal of time, effort and energy has been wasted on this project and there is no way they are losing out now that they are on the brink of victory. Give us the Vessel or the boy if he hasn't been hallowed out to make room for the Old One yet. Do as I ask and I promise your agony will end" here she paused meaningfully, "sooner rather than later."

"You are aware that Vessel you are talking about is an innocent little boy." Buffy snapped,

"Not so innocent now I'll wager. Slavery, degradation, humiliation; of all the creations of man, war is the most beautiful. However, traffic of human lives runs a close second." Ingrid's jovial tone belied the evil of her words. "Your innocent little boy is going to be part of something greater then he can possibly imagine. Besides, it will take the pressure off his well-armed caretakers to look after the boy if he has the powers of a God."

Buffy was launching into a diatribe when Balalaika hushed the girl "just how exactly did you learn that Garcia Lovelace was taken into the sanctum?"

Ingrid smiled, "I recruited some experience to augment my military force." she said while gesturing behind her. "General Sheu Yen was curiously eager to join my side, he seems to have been under the impression you mean him harm; imagine that?"

The group looked over and saw The General flanked by two soldiers. Balalaika stiffened when she recognized these men as members of her Special Forces Squad. "You would appear to have augmented your fighting force with soldiers under my command as well." She growled, her teeth gritted and her body almost vibrating in rage. "Can I assume my men have been transformed into undead slaves like the rest of the forces facing us?"

The Mob Boss's rage seemed to delight Ingrid no end, "I find the dead make for far more compliant and obedient soldiers. I assure you their ends were quicker and less painful then the ending you will earn if you do not produce the Old One."

By now Eda had joined the gathering she looked at their visitor. "Ingrid, what the hell are you doing here?" The Nun asked in shocked recognition.

"You know her?" Xander asked.

"Everyone knows Ingrid the Ice Bitch," Eda said with a grim smile, "No offense babe" she said brightly at The Woman who nodded in turn.

"None taken." Ingrid said with equal casualness.

"Ice Bitch?" Buffy asked

"She's a nasty customer and as cold as they come." Eda explained, "For the last few years her primary responsibility has been Director of Langley's Paranormal Affairs Branch. Some people are evil because they have to be. She's evil because she likes It."

"Which I guess means you aren't the world's biggest fans of Watchers and Slayers." Buffy asked.

Ingrid laughed, "What isn't to love about you Summers. You turned a major American town into a lake then set yourself up as the head of a Terrorist army with global reach and access. If it weren't for your annoying glee club mentality, I'd offer you the opportunity to work with people who could help you reach your real potential."

"Sorry, kind of an under achiever. At least that's what it says on my High School transcripts "Buffy responded brightly.

"Didn't you burn that school's gym to the ground?" Willow reminded her, "I'm thinking they were a little bias."

Ingrid sounded almost jovial, "The heads of a hundred world governments look at tapes of your attack on The Initiative and then satellite photos of LAKE Sunnydale and countries were lining up to give me the money and resources to fuel a thousand black operations across the globe."

"This is hardly news," Eda asked "Ingrid what are you really doing here?"

"My bosses -- my real bosses, have located the perfect killing machine and they want it. I'm going to bring it to them. To get the weapon I need the boy under my control. My needs and the Lawyers kind of dovetail together."

"And just what is this weapon that you are so keen to take back to your masters." Roberta hissed.

"The Weapon is you Rosarita. Think of it, Slayers represent the end result of thousands of years of mystical spiritual and even genetic manipulation and all it took for you to beat one was a little power up from a naturally occurring root fragment."

"You want me?" The Maid asked mystified.

"It breaks my heart to see you wasting your skills in domestic servitude. You are no better than those useless slaves. At lest they had bondage and servitude bred into them. You, you choose this facade; the imperfect servile ...frankly dear, killing the Lovelace boy would be doing you the world's hugest favour."

Roberta looked like she was going to visibly explode but Xander laid a hand on her and cleared his throat. "Just so we know; what's option two?"

Ingrid smiled indulgently "Well not to be clichéd but I would slaughter you all."

"We've been doing a pretty good job of killing your little zombie army." Revy boasted

Ingrid smiled indulgently at her, "I'm sure those of you who aren't completely dim have noticed the lack of bodies left behind."

"We know you are reviving the dead and making them part of your army; it won't work." Buffy said defiantly.

"You have defeated a few puppets, cannon fodder I marched at you to keep you where I wanted you and off balance. Allow me to introduce you to the real forces at my command. Ingrid snapped her fingers and several large troops broke rank to line up. Each one was well over seven feet tall and well armed and well muscled.

"Ghouls," Ingrid explained joyfully, "for the uneducated, vampires -- without the photo sensitivity, an undying legion. Each one can move speak and act more efficiently than a simple zombie and their regenerative abilities are far and away more enhanced."

"Those guys are big," Xander deadpanned "I mean really , really, big."

Buffy rolled her eyes "Tall zombie short zombie I'm not that worried."

"These are more than just zombies. They are the end result of decades of mystical, alchemical and scientific manipulation, creatures faster and stronger than any who have walked the earth. They are capable of enduring awesome punishment. If they are wounded, they can regenerate from even the smallest surrounding necrotic tissue. Savage brutal and almost animal-like in their cunning, but one hundred percent loyal to their commander."

"I don't get this Ingrid," Eda said mystified, "You're a desk jockey you aren't even a real field operative."

"Dear, I've been operating in the field a lot longer than you can imagine. I've been undercover at Langley, keeping my employer in the loop about operations that might affect his long-term plans."

"You're a mole? –working for who?" Eda wasn't expecting a truthful answer. She was surprised therefore when Ingrid forthrightly told Eda what she wanted to hear.

"You've never heard of Millennium, suffice it to say, we have stake in the proceedings. The Lawyers wanted a cheaper method of retaining the loyalty of their troops other the standard beyond death Rider clause in their employment contract. That was here Millennium came in."

"We know they manipulated events to insure the death of Lovelace and the others." Balalaika snapped.

"The Lawyers want the Devils Root production in the world under their exclusive control. They also want the Old One's power for themselves. Lovelace was a threat to that control. His empowering message was giving the people hope. They were actually starting to believe that their cycle of misery might end. That makes for a bad crop. Devil's Root needs misery without it; it cannot ripen into full fruit. Even when it ripens it needs time to absorb even more misery to become truly potent sometimes it takes years to make even a small amount."

"So you killed him just like that ?" Roberta asked, seething with cold fury.

Ingrid smiled with obvious glee. "Oh yes my precious, I can feel your anger, and your hatred. Come with me Rosarita. And I will make you a Goddess of War and Terror. One day you will look back over the decades of misery we'll unleash on the world together and you will look on the deaths of an old man and his brat child as ...a rebirth."

Willow started noticing Ingrid's aura flaring with greater power. Her tattoos were swirling excitedly across her flesh.

Alberto spoke of his backers." Roberta continued, "He said they had granted the FARC power and given them some kind of edge I didn't believe it until now."

"Those bastards we fought in the warehouse." Revy snapped in sudden realization, "The FARC they had these little vials on them."

"They were hunting a team that had Slayers onboard. And their number one target Miss Maid, had acquired a Watcher of storied skill and ability to assist her." Balalaika summarized.

"Supernatural strength and speed beats demented revolutionary every time." The Ice Bitch cackled, "They knew the mortal F-A-R-C wouldn't last a minute. That was why I offered Millennium's services and promised to provide a little backup should they require it."

You told me that you didn't know what was going on." Eda reminded her.

"I didn't know where Harris was and once he hooked up with the Maid they dropped completely off the grid until the war in Roanapur started."

"The Crystal Tears," Xander said. "You gave them the vials and didn't tell them what they were for."

"Think of it, nigh-Immortality-in-a-bottle. Not nearly as reliable as some methods you might know of but it gets the job done."

"Not nearly as effective as raw devils root either." Xander smirked as he reminded her.

Ingrid laughed jovially, "Of course it isn't as effective. But it does have the advantage of being easier to mass produce. You've no doubt seen the effects already on living subjects. They gain awesome power at the expense of their sanity. On the dead..." here she gestured to the army around them.

The Groups noticed as several of the zombies stepped forward and Xander visibly paled as he recognized Corrado the FARC soldier who'd come close to killing him earlier. "Now we finish our Match eh, Senor Harris." Corrado sneered.

"You beat him?" Faith asked.

"I kind of cheated." Xander sighed, "I accidentally dosed myself with Devil's Root and got lucky."

Ingrid smiled evilly, "I have noticed that they do fixate upon last images especially the person who killed them. She said brightly.

The General stepped forward. "Surrender the Old One --Fry face, Give us the Boy as well and I'll let you and your people continue to exist in this town once Chang is dead of course." He threatened.

"Now there is a man with confidence," Xander said brightly "Threatening one of the most dangerous women on earth and insulting her to her face. You sir are officially too stupid to live."

"I assure you Mister Harris that is condition that will not burden him long." Balalaika said with icy formality.

"Hey, hey, hey," Buffy chided, "Bad guy ranting over here; be polite."

Eda noticed what the woman had said, "OK Ingrid we know what these freaks are in this for what's your angle. Why are YOU standing HERE?"

Willow was watching her and realized what the seething and churning of her tattoos meant. "She is feeding off empathic energies. Our fear and stress make her stronger that's why she's standing here. She wants a free meal. By telling us she's coming to kill us and watching us get worked up, she gets stronger. She'll keep getting stronger the longer she kills and terrifies."

Ingrid smiled widely while rolling her head and audibly cracking the joints therein. "Der Major is hoping that the more enlightened among you will see the futility of opposing us and join us. He can offer you something for more rewarding. Something he is quite sure some of you including Ms Balalaika and The Bloodhound would appreciate; war unending and awesome. We want to give you a real chance to use those long dormant skills that you are so very famous for."

"War against whom?" Balaiaka asked.

"Who cares?" Ingrid laughed

"Come on," Faith asked, "aren't you guys like most garden variety whack-jobs; out to conquer the world?"

"Conquest? Please; The Major wants nothing as pedestrian as ownership of this decaying heap of shit. Our plans have a single and simple goal, a war so glorious and vast that the Gods will tremble in fear of it. This is about gathering to the battlefield those whose love of war is so pure and absolute that their souls sing in rejoicing at the very idea of burning every square kilometre of this planet until every corner of creation is drenched by blood and fire."

"Are you kidding me?" Buffy snapped, "War is hell, nobody really loves war."

"Tell me, Ms Russian," Ingrid faced Balalaika, "is the young lady right. Has the fire in your heart burned down so low you've forgotten what it felt like? Tell me you haven't enjoyed our little engagement. The screams, the shouts and the stench of carcasses cooking as mayhem surround you. Is it really any fun feeding like a rat on the corruption of the weak? Don't you miss those wonderful days when you held the world by the throat making it shiver in fear and terror?"

Buffy was unsurprised that Balalaika seemed almost temped by the woman's words. "Yeah, don't know about them but I'm not handing the kid over and as for your boss he can screw himself he wants a war so bad I'll bring him a war alright."

"I think that's the point Buffy." Xander said grimly "She and her boss don't care what side we choose. They don't care if we win or lose. They just want us to fight. If we defend ourselves or not, defeat them or not, make no difference to them; they just want a war and we're getting courtside seating to the fun."

"Smart boy no wonder Eda wanted you under her thumb." Ingrid sneered.

Balalaika finally gave a long sigh, "Then you will give a message to your Major," Balalaika, said slowly "If he wants a war so badly I will be more than happy to oblige him. But he isn't getting the Lovelace boy. I have promised that Boy and his retainers the protection of Hotel Moscow and no matter what else I am I am a woman of my word."

"Then it would appear we have a disagreement, and you and I know there is but one way to end disagreements between such as we."

Indeed," Balalaika snapped and drew her gun and fired in one smooth motion. Ingrid's head rocked backwards. However she did not fall and the crowd watched amazed as she faced them again, the bullet was lodged in her forehead. One of her tattoos had MOVED to intercept the bullet.

"I think I'm really going to enjoy this." Ingrid raised the poleaxe and gripped it in both hands. "Kill everyone," Ingrid commanded, "leave nothing alive to impede our progress." She swiped at Balalaika who dodged backward firing her pistol at the oncoming warrior.

Boris pulled his gun as well and firing wildly as Ingrid came steamrolling in. Suddenly however Bella was there putting herself in between Ingrid and Balalaika.

Ingrid smiled wolfishly at the girl's attempts to keep her off. "How sweet the Fry-face has a mystic pit bull but your dog needs to be house broken; allow me."

The woman swept her hand forward grabbing at Bella. The two Russians watched as the tattoos on Ingrid's arms flowed down her fist and seemed to lash out like little snakes to attach themselves to the Bella's head. The girl began to scream and whimper.

* * *

_Bella was standing in the cold. Daddy had packed her in the truck and driven her away from the farm. She was worried about her sick mother but excited to be going on a trip with her father._

_"You are going on fun trip." he had said gruffly as they stood outside a club. The entire building smelled like daddy sometimes did after he'd been drinking._

_The smelly man who ran the place looked at Bella. He looked at her critically pinching the skin on her cheek and then opening her mouth and looked inside. "Not bad for a farm girl she even has all her teeth, " The man commented as if the news was a pleasant surprise._

_"Look could we do this I need to get back her mother... the medicine the doctors want her to take is very expensive. I'll make her understand but until then..."_

_The ugly man sighed, "i give you three-fifty "_

_Her father bent down to her "Listen to me Bella, Father is going to leave you with this nice man for a while until your mother is better and we can afford to keep you. do as he says and when things are better I swear we will come back for you."_

_The ugly man handed Father a wad of bills. There was happiness on her father's face that had not been there for some time. Bella watched as her Father turned and marched to the truck and climbed in. He didn't once look back as he drove away leaving his daughter standing in the cold and driving snow._

_Bella looked up at the man but it was the scary tattooed woman looking down at her. "I Love family don't you?" Ingrid hissed at her victim. She raised her fist the poleaxe's blade glittering in the cold darkness. "The pain of your life is so sweet it almost seems a waste to kill you...almost." Ingrid brought the poleaxe swinging down.  
_

* * *

Bella rolled away from the blow that had missed by only a hair. The Russian Slayer looked up and saw she had been delivered from death by the slashing intervention of Buffy who was cursing the tattooed woman.

Ingrid laughed "You're wasting your time Miss Slayer; I cannot be touched unless I want to be and I don't have to strike you to destroy you." Ingrid held her poleaxe above her head and Buffy watched as the tattoos flowed across the weapon. Ingrid waited until the weapon was almost black before bringing the blade down, slashing at the ground creating a terrifying shockwave that split the ground and threw everyone in several feet of Ingrid to the earth with the force of her strike.

The Slayer felt the earth starting to seethe and crack before tearing open. A line of devastation worked its way toward Buffy who dodged to one side while calling to her fellow fighters "Stay clear and don't let her or the tats touch you."

* * *

Revy and Eda were adding their thunderous gunfire to the support teams hail of bullets.

"Sure you can shoot straight Two Hands?" Eda teased, "That gun hand of yours seems a little shaky."

"Fuck you, ya crazy nympho," Revy snapped, "The day you can out-shoot me is the day I need to die." She was back to using her beloved Cutlasses loaded with modified ammo rounds that would make more of an impression even on their undead enemies.

Yolanda stood beside them all, Her Desert Eagle searching for foes to fire upon. "You're Lucky Ms Faith even bothered to bring those Cutlasses to the Church with her or else I'd have to give you a rental like everyone else is using."

The Elderly nun gestured to the several citizens who were firing out the remaining doors and windows with a motley assortment of guns. Once the commitment was made to fight every man and woman in Roanapur seemed determined to fight for their home.

Revy took down a big fiend with well placed shots. "Ah thank you babies," The Gunslinger cooed to her weapons, "Momma missed you so much. She'll never leave you behind again."

Rico and Xander came by with arms filled with wood and tools. "Did I hear someone say nympho?" Xander asked.

"Better live though this sport," Eda cackled delightedly, "There is nothing this sadistic bitch loves more than a little ultra violence to get my motor racing."

"I don't know Eda " Xander said and took her shoulders. "All this craziness has shown me that I have to appreciate the people in my life more tell them how I feel let them know how special they are to me and how much my life is better because of them."

Eda looked at Xander's sincere face. "You what? " She was confused

"I know you can't believe it living in this place ...but I love you Eda and I want us to be happy together."

Revy grimaced in disgust at Eda's confused face, "Are seriously telling me you can't tell that he's scamming you?" Revy snapped

Eda looked at Xander and indeed finally saw the glimmer of mischief in his eyes. The glimmer that he had obviously manage to hide from her before." You lying little bitch, " Eda said to him with awe "You're gaming me." Eda grabbed his head and pulled him in for a long open mouth kiss.

"I figured I owed you one." Xander replied when they came up for air. "Come on admit it, I totally had you going there for a second. I have to say, you look really cute when you are being naive."

"Please I was just…playing along."

"Fuck that" Revy cackled, "you were ready to register your china pattern ."

"Anybody needs a fill up?" Rico smiled rakishly shaking a box of ammo at both the ladies. Eda searched through the box picking up and discarding several clips before finding the ones that matched the Glock in her hands.

Revy just reached behind her without looking and ran her fingers across the various ammo clips before selecting two and ramming one into her guns. She gunned down two rushing creatures with the other gun in her hands before reloading it. In her mind, she was aware there was something odd about the fact she could tell by touch alone which clips were for her weapons and knew by feel of weight how loaded her guns were. Revy had never noticed before but fully loaded guns just ....felt different. Her eyes, always very accurate suddenly could scan across the chaotic battlefield. She could tell Xander was scamming Eda by the shift in his scent and the sound of his voice. The truth just sounded and smelt different.

"We got incoming at eleven o'clock." she snapped out her gun and fired taking the ghoul in the head and flipping it backward. The Slayer he had been chasing turned and beat wildly at him.

"Nice shot, ma'am" Sanchez shouted having seen the distant kill shot though the scope of rifle he was using.

Revy grunted but she had to agree with him. That shot should have been almost impossible even for someone of her skill and yet she'd made the shot from so far away without aid of a scope or even really aiming.

"This is what it is to be pack, little cub." A still small voice whispered.

Anyone else would have been freaked Revy was too busy loving the possibilities to be freaked out.


	28. Chapter 28

***

The Slayers took the lead acting as point men with Foxes and Hotel Moscow troops providing covering fire. Many Slayers owed their lives to a well placed round that distracted an undead fiend long enough for her to swing an axe, thrust a sword, and snap a neck whatever it took.

Rico carried out a heavy mini gun. Then he watched with amazement as Roberta easily picked up the weapon using it to lay down a massive sheet of suppressive fire.

Sanchez and Riley looked on with almost worshipful looks as The Maid raked the enemy lines without touching a single Slayer. Claxton eventually had to scream at them to back her up to snap them out of their awe. That situation didn't improve any when Fabiola took the field. Her grenade launcher made short work of anyone lucky enough ro stupid enough to try and rush The Bloodhound.

Soon the two maids moved from the safety of the Church Of Violence forcing Rico had to run fresh belts of Ammunition or power packs out to the duo to keep the Roberta's Chain gun running. Finally the man threw up his hands and set up a recharge station at the door. Fabiola and he took turns running supplies out to Roberta who kept a steady stream of fire playing across the battlefield.

Finally Roberta ordered her junior to retreat to the Church. "Look after Master Garcia, see to him I will deal with these." Roberta said looking every inch the chilling warrior she was. One had to look carefully to see any of the warmth in her eyes as she looked at Fabiola.

"He never lost faith in you. Not once, I tried to make him leave go home but he refused he never stopped believing you could be saved."

Roberta smiled and took her hand. Then she squeezed it "Next time try harder you are supposed to be seeing to The Young Master's needs not his whims. "

"I. I'm sorry Head Housemaid."

"You are the one I must be able to count upon to take care of the Young Master if I am unable to return to La Hacienda. You will be the last line of defence if anything happens and I fall."

Roberta released Fabiola and turned back to the dirty business of warfare

Fabiola watched a moment longer "Then May I speak for master when I say do not fall he would want you to survive as do I." she said and and then fled back to the church.

* * *

Ingrid weaved among the Slayers like a wolf among sheep. Slashing and thrusting her poleax with mad glee at the death and destruction she caused. Her tattoos allowed her to survive not just gunfire but martial attacks as well and when she could manage it she would grab onto an enemy and use her wyrding attack. Many watched helplessly as her tattoos flowed across their skin turning them cold and trapping them in horrific illusions that would end with Ingrid taking their lives.

She caught sight of another figure though the smoke of combat and charged her.

Shenhua found herself fighting for her life against a foe who she quickly realized was much faster and just as dangerous as her. Ingrid stepped inside her guard and lashed at her with the handle of the poleaxe driving the air from Shenhua's body. Ingrid reversed the weapon swinging at Shenhua with the blade and spike of her poleaxe. Shenhua managed to blunt the force of the blow if not its target. She felt the burning pain of the poleaxe blade as it bit deep into her side. Her scream of pain brought Rotton running. The man tried to come to her rescue but Ingrid swirled her poleaxe around jabbing him in the stomach. Shenhua watched as the dark tattoos leaked down to blacken her weapon. The Ice Bitch used it to swing at Rotton. Ingrid's attack swatted him into the air. He became a silver haired projectile smashing into one of the snipers nests. His body dropped through the building to land on the main floor. Rock rushed to his side to help him up he was bleeding and battered but otherwise ok.

Rock tried to help him up but the man waved him off as he startled up "Shenhua I left her out there with that tattooed witch."

"You're going back out there. You're lucky to still be alive." Rock replied.

Rotton dragged himself back to his feet and went limping toward the exit. Sanchez joined him and Rock threw up his arms in frustration. Turning around he wasn't surprised to find Shunsi close at hand as she usually was. "Go after them," he snapped "but no heroics just find Shenhua and get her back here to safety." Shunsi smiled wildly and gave him a thumb up before tearing after the two men.

Shenhua was still on the ground after watching Rotton batted away like a baseball. Now she watched helpless as Ingrid raised her weapon intending to carve her life away. Shenhua closed her eyes and stilled her soul and thus was almost deafened by the woman's curse as her weapon impacted with Maria's mini-axe. Shenhua scrambled to her feet and expected the Slayer to retreat with her but the girl stood her ground fending off the larger woman's blows. Shenhua watched helplessly as this strange woman fought desperately. Shenhua wanted to do something anything but her wound was serious if she didn't die from the gash in her side then the vicious Ingrid would all too happily end her life once she had disposed of her slayer opponent.

The battle continued across the courtyard

Nobody wanted to admit it but they were being seriously pressed the shuffling zombie army was still slowly advancing but the quicker and more dangerous ghouls were darting in and taking down combatant after combatant. One Hotel Moscow solder screamed as a ghoul who tore his life away with a clench of beast-like jaws jumped him. The creature abandoned him like toy leaving him to bleed out on the ground he saw a shambling zombie horde coming on fast he felt at his belt but nothing remained to aid him suddenly Bella was there, she did not cry for him. The ability to weep was one thing you lost very quickly under Balalaika's harsh training. Bella tore a grenade from her belt and passed it to him pulling the pin as she did so. The man thanked her for her slight mercy and she nodded at him and saluted him before rising from his side to flee. The man waited until the horde was upon him. He waited until the last second and then released the dead man's switch. The explosion took him and several dozen zombies the bodies scattered by the force of the blast. There would be no resurrection for any of them.

The undead tide kept coming. Snipers fired at legs and feet dropping them in their tracks and then the butchers came; men and women who had spent their life times learning how to cut and slice the human form. Among them was Sawyer who stood singular and alone. Her speed her skill her ruthless and cold devotion to hacking away at any who stood their ground before her was both terrifying and beautiful.

The fight dragged on seemingly for hours though it was really only a few minutes. The Zombies kept marching and advancing slowly and while the Slayers were giving a good account of themselves in this frenzied melee they were slowly losing ground.

Two of the vicious ghouls were pressing Faith and Buffy when Ingrid's scream of rage echoed across the battlefield.

Faith quickly sized the situation up "It's not looking good B,"

Buffy was being pressed while trying to dispose of her foe but he was tough and fast and refused to go down to her powerful blows. Finally she screamed in frustration and snatched a split second opening to grab at his head and literally tear his head from his body.

"We hold this line." Buffy growled, "No matter what it takes; whatever we have to do. We hold this line."

The two women watched as their foes flailed on the ground until they latched onto each other. Then the undead flesh flowed into, over and around each other until a single zombie larger then either had been on their own stood were there had been two before. That scene was being repeated across the battlefield. The soldiers and slayers poured on the pressure but their undying foes were forcing their way toward the Church's main entrance.

"No mercy!" Ingrid screamed at her troops "No mercy, leave none alive add the dying to our ranks."

***

General Sheu Yen was driving his troops to move forward.

"Break them, break their lines; destroy them utterly." he cried out joyously, "The Slayers were nothing. This is real power."

He was driving them forward when new gunfire cut the air. Everyone looked up and saw several jeeps careening up the pathway toward the church. Hanging out the side of one of them firing two-handed with a devil-may-care grin on his face was Chang.

"Covering fire, I want covering fire now." Balalaika yelled. Her men complied like machines coolly unleashing gunfire toward the enemy holding the main pathway. Several of the Slayers joined in the assault tearing them down and beating on them to forestall their eventual resurrection.

Quickly, Chang's armed 14k killers split the enemy lines and rained hell on everything that moved.

The Triad Boss's jeep skidded to a halt outside the church and Chang jumped from the vehicle. "So I'm sitting around my place," He said casually "and I start to thinking to myself. -- Chang, old buddy -- I said -- why are you letting Balalaika have all the fun. I mean, if hell really has come to Roanapur; would you really want to sit the whole thing out."

Balalaika looked up at the man with a cold grin on her face. "I knew you couldn't stay away Babe."

Chang grimaced at her use of his hated nickname. "So, what's the plan?"

"If it;s moving and its not friendly keep shooting it until it stops moving."

"Great plan," Chang said snidely "i like it when we keep things simple What about The General?"

"He is right over there." Balalaika pointed out "He seesm rather upset with you."

Chang watched The General directing troops who were gathering parts from the battle field and rebuilding themselves into gradually more powerful foes.

"I don't want him to die, Whatever else we do I want him to live long enough to know what a bad Idea screwing with us is."

"Such sweet things you say." Balalaika said as she shouldered an assault rifle, "Shall we show the youngsters how it's supposed to be done."

Chang opened his coat to reveal a bandoleer of clips for his two pistols. "Shall we dance madam?"

The two of them began their own demented Dance of Death across the battlefield.

***

Ingrid and Maria continued their duel. It quickly became obvious that Ingrid was playing with the Slayer drawing out the fight to increase her fear and frustration. Suddenly a shadow darted out from the church. Rotton and Sanchez barreled toward the duo body-checking Ingrid, pushing her to the ground. Rotton raced to Shenhua's side and scooped her up.

"How you survive? She hit you pretty hard " Shenhua asked weakly.

Rotton smiled weakly, "My Coat is made out of a ballistic fibre it's extremely shock absorbent."

Shenhua looked at him amazed. Rotton shrugged, "I believe in…"

"… Being prepared." They finished in chorus.

Maria backpedaled as the Ingrid cursed Sanchez and slashed at him. He blocked her strike with his rifle and then watched as his weapon was sliced in two.

Ingrid laughed coldly and raised the deadly blade of her poleaxe intending to hack away Sanchez's life. Maria came flying back at her, fighting even more fiercely to protect the man. She lashed out madly.

"Look at him Sweetie," Ingrid hissed; He can't take his eyes off us he's so afraid you will die before his very eyes. Emotion that strong is a rare thing."

Maria tried to stab at the woman who moved out of the way; grabbing at the Slayer's arm as it passed trapping her.

"Let's give him a show," she displayed Maria to Sanchez, "Keep watching little boy don't take your eyes off us for a second. I want her to know that you will see this for the rest of your life." She grabbed at Maria's face and her tattoos flowed across Maria's face and head. The slayer began to scream in terror. Ingrid plunged the edge of her poleaxe into Maria.

The Slayer grunted in pain and crumpled in the arms of her foe. \Ingrid held her tightly as if they were intimate friends. "Yes that's right my sweet, feed me with the pain of your death and your despair. I may let him live so he can suffer with the knowledge that he had to watch you die."

* * *

Several of the Slayers could be seen screaming and crying. Xander broke from the barricading to drop next to one and holding her tried to calm her. "What's wrong tell me."

"She's like a wolf, hunting and hounding us not just her but in our dreams and nightmares."

"Listen to me she is just another big bad just like every one that's ever faced us and fallen."

"Are you certain?" the Slayer asked as she watched Ingrid cutting down two fighters who had tried to come to Maria's rescue but wher tragically too late. Ingird laughed joyfully as she cut down two and then gutted still another Slayer. She was just going after Rotton and Shenhua again when Shunsi was there battling her as hard as she could.

Xander grabbed the woman and looked in her eye with fierce determination. "You girls are into doing what your told, well then fallow this order. You stand together. if you do that, nothing can stop you. All for one and one for all; you hear me?"

The Slayer nodded, "All for one and one for all." she pushed away from Xander and knelt with her head down. "All for one and one for all." she repeated to herself over and over then Xander suddenly noticed that another Slayer nearby had taken up the chant and then another and another. Soon he could hear the words spoken in unison from every point and then it felt like the worlds were echoing throughout the world.

Willow sighed loudly, "Xander did you do a bad thing?"

Xander whined, "How was I supposed to know they had freaky group speaking type powers?"

Ingrid scrambled toward Shunsi who was also repeating the words. "If you all are one then you can all die."

Her axe blade carved through the air toward Shunsi's head who reached out and grabbed the blade between pinching fingers. The Little Slayer looked up, cocking her head sideways to regard Ingrid as if she was a specimen on a slide under a microscope.

Her eyes had turned to smooth black orbs and Ingrid watched in horrified fascination as an oily substance leaked out of her eyes and across her face. The substance resolved itself into primitive markings.

Ingrid raised her weapon trying to dislodge the girl but Shunsi easily maintained her unnatural grip on the weapon. As she was pulled off the ground by the strength of Ingrid's thrashing struggles the possessed girl powered her feet into Ingrid's chest; forcing the woman back with a hard kick. Ingrid snarled with fury and came back off the ground slashing with her poleaxe. Shunsi's bokken lashed out to catch and deflect her strikes.

Rotton watched with Shenhua as the fight progressed. "How is she doing that?" Rotton asked, completely mystified.

"Slayer sister is good," Shenhua explained, "she turning bokken at last second, that bunt force of each blow so her enemy can't strike her with full power." Shenhua watched impressed at the Little Slayer started ducking under her enemy using her small size to maximum advantage. "She is using the point of bokken to strike at the weapon."

"What good will that do" Rotton asked .

Ingrid lashed out trying to either slash at the young girl or impale her. Shunsi made faces at the woman until Ingrid screamed in rage and chopped downward savagely. The poleaxe buried itself in the ground and Shunsi jumped up to avoid the blow landing with all her weight on the handle or more accurately, the exact spot on the handle her previous blows had landed. There was a snap and the pole arm shattered.

Ingrid snarled and lashed out with the top half of the poleaxe. The Point buried itself in the ground and Shunsi grabbed at Ingrid who laughed as she grabbed hold of the Slayer girl. her tattoos flowed across her arms and attached to the Slayer.

However unlike her attack on the others this time It was Ingrid who started screaming.

***


	29. Chapter 29

Fabiola covered Garcia with her body as the Church shook with the impact of the creatures attack. She was standing guard over Garcia as Roberta had ordered. She walked carefully though the sanctum back into the main Church looking for a sink or wash basin She was thinking she was going to have to go back to the main auditorium and borrow water from the Holy Water font near the entrance when she saw a sink. A few spins of an old knob brought cold water out of the tap. The tiny maid soaked a cloth in the cool water wringing out and folding it neatly. She had just finished and was going to hurry back when curiosity lead her to glance at the pipes under the sink.

That was when she saw wedged in tightly against the pipe, a small and almost unnoticeable package with a small light on top. A thin wire trailed out of it to drift almost unnoticeable to another package sitting unnoticed in a dark corner. She followed that wire to another package set up in the rafters and as she looked around, Fabiola suddenly realized that the basement level had been filled discreetly but completely with the same small packages each with a glowing orange light. Someone had set bombs in the Church of Violence a lot of bombs and they were active.

She rushed back to Garcia and shook him trying to wake him. The girl was desperate and scared now. "Please Master Garcia please. We are in danger we have to leave this terrible place. Please Master you must wake up."

The boy mumbled in a dream voice. "All for one, one for all, all for one, one for all" she opened his eyes and was shocked and not a little scared to see dark black orbs where his shining friendly eyes should have been. Then his face relaxed and he closed his eyes again. Fabiola didn't know what to do but she did know one thing ... when this was over. If this ended well for her and the family she had come to care so greatly for... she was definitely asking for a raise.... a big, big raise.

*FLASH*

_Roberta standing tall "Focus, you all must learn focus you have power and skill but it does no good if you do not learn to focus." _

_"Yes ma'am!" a dozen voices crying in unison; Slayers in training. _

_Buffy stands on a hill watching. "Are you sure they'll be OK?" she asks the Witch _

_"You asked that about the batch she trained before; and the one before them, and the one before that. I thought the field reports were awesome." Willow said soothingly. _

_"Oh yeah, we're great on paper" Buffy stresses, "Kicking ass and taking names around the world. I almost feel sorry for the demons now...almost." _

_Roberta ignores them. She has trained two thirds of the Slayer Army stationed around the world. The Slayers in Roanapur were the test and the test was a massive success. She has proven herself to everyone that doubted this arrangement would work. "Focus... focus is everything focus is the only thing maintain focus at all time and never lose sight of your objective even for a second and you will always be one step ahead of those you face. Remember that focus is everything." She says this a lot; repeats it like a mantra. Some of the Slayers are starting to do it too. _

_She was right to let Garcia and Harris talk her into this. _

*FLASH*

Garcia tried to focus his random wandering thoughts were directing the visions along other pathways branching off from the main flow of time.

*FLASH*

_Rock and Xander standing at the Dock, Xander looks and dresses like Nick Fury nowadays. He even smokes cigars occasionally. Rock dresses more like Mr. Chang these days. Nobody mentions it to him anymore; anyone who does deals with Shunsi, or if they are really unlucky, Revy. Sometimes he even does it himself when he's in the mood. The sun is setting. Shunsi stands at Rocks said as always. She dresses like a mutant cross between Faith and Shenhua. Makes sense really since her style of brutality is a mix of both. Rock doesn't notice. Rock never notices. Xander sometimes wonders of that makes Shunsi more brutal more vicious. _

_"It comes down to this Xander," Rock explains, "We can keep on doing things as they are or we can win this war once and for all. Twilight, The Japanese, all of them; we can take them all down once and for all." _

_Xander breathes hard, "You know once we make our move, Buffy and The Rest.... they won't take this laying back." _

_"We are doing this for them Xander. if she could win this she would have already. How many people have we lost, how many more are we going to lose. This is the best way for Buffy she'll realize that eventually." Rock takes Xander's shoulder, "We can save the world, you and me, and no more friends will ever have to die or be sacrificed along the way."  
_

_Xander knows he should say no but it's so much harder then it used to be to tell right from wrong. That's what its like living in Roanapur. _

*FLASH*

Garcia is losing himself. He forces his mind to track along a path. He settles on the Pool at the Hotel how nice it looks how cool it was to dive into the water from the balcony overlooking the ...

*FLASH*

_Xander Harris could see the Pool from where he was sitting in the hotel suite. The Slayers he set to guard the hotel will keep him safe. He sometime recalls he used to hate that Buffy wouldn't let him go anywhere without a slayer escort to watch his back. Now he does it himself. Of course he is one of the two most dangerous men in Roanapur. Someone is always trying to make a name for themselves by taking out the infamous Xander Harris. He looked at the bathroom nervously while fingering the empty velvet box in his hand. _

_"Not to put any pressure on you or anything," He says "but this took a lot of guts. "  
_

_The nun from the Church of Violence steps into the room. She smiles at Xander. _

_It's beautiful Xander. She holds up her hand admiring the large diamond ring settled on her finger. "How did you find something like this? How you keep me from finding out?" _

_"I have my methods, " He puts the box on the table, "Take your time, I know things have been crazy I wouldn't want you ... thinking twice about ...things." _

_"Xander I want to you to know that no matter what happens I admire you and love you." _

_Xander nods, "OK who are you and what did you do with Eda."_

_"I'm serious." _

_"Since when you are never serious. So what was the big surprise? Is it bigger then a bread box?" Xander relaxes on the couch. _

_Eda walks toward him; Garcia can see the pistol she holds behind her back. The weapon is silenced. She is clutching it in the same hand that now sports the ring that Xander just gave her._

*FLASH*  
_Two slayers were waiting. _

_Eda's bags are packed. "We both had our little lies we kept from each other." Eda's voice lacks all the warmth from before. "You know that and I know that" she is saying_

"...and we paid the price for that." Xander says equally coldly.

"I know what you and Rock are up to; if I have to, I'll stop you both, I swear."

"If you think you can stop us you are welcome to try."  


_"Eda, It's time to go." Faith stepped forward. _

_"One more thing," she stops and pulls a simple gold band from her finger and hands it back. Xander takes it without a word._

*FLASH*

"What's happening?" Garcia screamed, pain lancing though his head. "It hurts."

*FLASH*

_The Slayer stumbles to the ground. Her name is Simone and she is obviously been beaten severely and is scared. _

_"It's supposed to hurt Simone; that's kind of the point." Faith says coldly. _

_Shenhua is watching with a predatory smile, " Rock say Slayer Bitch cause too many problems; he say send a message so everyone know what happens when you cause trouble." _

_"...But you're like me," Simone pleads, "You don't want to be some watcher's lackey." _

_"I told you not to come to Roanapur. If there was one place you should not have tried to stir up trouble it's here. Why didn't you listen, Simone? Slayers have it good here in Roanapur and that's not going to change because of a pathetic wannabe like you." _

_"I'll leave," Simone says desperately "I go away you will never see me again I swear." _

_Faith grabs the girl who looks very small and scared. Faith hauls her up and pins her to a wall. "It's too late for that; way, way too late. You're looking a little sickly Simone. I think you need some Iron in your diet." She draws her sword with a practiced twitch of her thumb and as the blade pops out of its sheath it gleams coldly in the night. "I'm thinking about two feet should do the trick." _

*FLASH*

"It's the visions Grandfather," Garcia can hear a voice. He feels a comfort "Follow my voice Grandfather, focus on my voice. What you are seeing are just shadows. Shadows of things that might be. ... Don't think about them. Your mind is adrift you have to trust..."

*FLASH*

_"...trust?" Andrew laughs bitterly, "You have control of a deadly army and a gods power you've been acquiring magic artifacts around the globe but won't tell us what you doing it for. Buffy and the rest...We don't think we can trust you anymore. Just give us the power objects Xander and we'll work things out from there. " _

_Xander tilts his head and looks at the young watcher. "Does Buffy really think she can't trust me? Me; Xander Harris." _

_Andrew looks uncomfortable and signals to the Slayers to raise their weapons. "Please Xander, don't make me force you. You don't want to hurt us and I know you don't hurt Slayers." _

_Revy holds her guns steady, she is aiming right at Andrew, "Hey Poindexter, I don't have a problem killing anyone stupid enough draw down on me. " she snarls. _

_"No one is going to die today Revy " Xander says quietly before shouting a command in Russian. _

_Along the rooftop Hotel Moscow's snipers can be seen. Suddenly Andrew is glowing red from all the laser points shifting across his body. When the shooting starts he will be the first to die. _

_"How much of a fuck wit are you that you brought Crossbows to a gunfight." Revy cackles, her eyes shimmering yellow with feral joy. _

_"Go home Andrew. Tell Buffy that I don't need her trust or her permission. There is no need to risk herself anymore. I will win her war for her." _

_"You, you can't be serious. You do this she'll never forgive you." _

_"I hope you're wrong but if you're right, well then at least she'll still be alive to hate me. Not a bad trade off wouldn't you say?"_

*FLASH*

"Concentrate Grandfather, control your mind."

*FLASH*

_Xander is on the veranda of the Lovelace mansion Fabiola sets the tea setting down in front of him and Garcia. She is no longer a young woman but she is heavy with child. She looks at Xander suspiciously but walks away to leave them to talk._

_"Fabiola still blames me for the assassination?" __Xander sighs. _

_"A mother's love is not a logical thing." Garcia says calmly, "Her child died protecting you. In her mind, that makes it your fault." _

_"That's why I'm here. Rock and I are finally ready. With your help we can finish this. Fix everything finally." _

_"I think little Diego will still be dead no matter what you do." Garcia smiles bitterly, "Still if you are here that means you have them; all of them. " _

_"All twelve, your weapon will make thirteen then we can destroy every demon lord who ever even looked dirty at the mortal world." _

_"...And you have figured out a method for using the weapon without my blood then. You know the gun wont work at full power for you without my connection to it." _

_Xander smiles and produces a ruby ring. "Bloodstone, and I've tracked down the remains of the other warriors. A quick little ceremony and ... " the Bloodstone glows with almost malevolent beauty. _

_Garcia smiles. "I had heard there were still a few left. Leave it to my Teacher to be the one to find an end run around a thousand years of safety protocols. Come on old friend let's inside and find the weapon." _

_"Find it? Isn't it hanging on the mantel like always?" _

_"Fabiola will have had a few minutes so no it will be hidden but I know all her hiding places by now and in the end, she knows that if you came all the way here its important." _

_Xander rises and Garcia backs the wheelchair away from the table he has, since the assassins bullet stole his ability to walk become quite good at manipulating the Chair._

_"Bougainvilleas are pretty, Garcia." Xander says to break the tensions _

_"There is a tree planted for every Cartel boss that Roberta killed." _

_"There are a lot of trees Garcia " Xander says with dawning wonder. _

_"I ordered her to not only kill the bosses but their wives and children, people who owed them money even some house pets."_

_"Jesus no wonder she finally lost it." _

_"It was the request not the killing. It was the fact I asked her to do it. That is what broke her heart and drove her over the edge."_

*FLASH*

"Grandfather focus on my voice focus. Please."

Garcia opens his eyes and he sees a young girl. She is blind. They are in his fathers study.

"What's happening? Who are you how can You be...?"

"My name is Grace. You were given a great and powerful gift but not the training to use it. A male mind does not respond well to the tortures of Slayer visions."

"Can you help me?" Garcia asked helplessly.

"I'm trying, you have to focus on me and my voice that's what allowed you to come to me."

"How can you see me? nobody else could see me."Garcia was slowly calming down.

"I'm a little more in control of my abilities then Manuela. Now listen grandfather, you have already deduced that the Corrupted gave you those visions in order that you might be seduced into despair."

"I can't stand this ... I'm not like Roberta"

"Yes you are you have a strength that Auntie always tells me she envies. You are part of a chain a long line of strength.

"Why is this happening?"

"The Corrupted is seeking to darken your soul make you more inclined to surrender to its --if you will excuse the term -- corrupted world view. You must resist the idea of giving in to your despair and anger. That is the key. You can't give up and lose hope. You must fight though the shadow. That was Master Harris' mistake. You always said that if you had that moment to live over you would have destroyed the Old One before it became too powerful. For you that moment is now"

"So it is evil?" Garcia asked.

"No, not evil as much as it is desperate and growing more so. Our ancestor confined it with a blood pact. With another warrior, a Slayer. It was in hopes that you might see that ceremony and be able to undo it that the Corrupted allowed you to be assaulted by the images of that maddened Manuela. The spell required blood which you had and knowledge which It hoped you would gain by seeing the ceremony though the eyes of the Slayer who originally performed it."

"Instead by following your voice I was brought here to you." Garcia realized.

"Understand that it didn't want to be involved in the world. Imagine going to sleep and rising to find the locks have been changed and you can not leave your room. The Corrupted has been trapped in darkness and silence for so long. Just when it had begun to accept that state of affairs Manuela reached out to it with her abilities. It tasted the darkness of her life and was seduced back into the world it had sought to avoid. Now it drowns in sensations of light and sound; small wonder that it is losing its mind."

"Then what do I do?"

"You are the key. Or to be honest You and Anutie Roberta. Be brave, the Slayers need your strength now more then ever Grandfather."

"How can I help them? Im not a Slayer."

"Technically no longer true. You see The Corrupted wanted you to see Manuela's life so that you would be corrupted by it and she gave you a part of herself to accomplish that and you are now a part of something much larger then you can possiblely imagine." The girl was cutt off by a crashing sound.

"What is happening?"

"You don't need to worry about that you aren't really here so the Corrupted can not harm you "

"The Corrupted is there with you?"

"Actually The Corrupted is about to destroy us but that is unimportant."

"How can your death be unimportant?"

"Because if you do what I say and how I say to do it not only will I not die but everything you saw coming here will not come to pass."

***


	30. Chapter 30

***

Ingrid looked down at the young girl.

"Lets see what you are afraid of my little Slayer."

"The Power of all is the power of one." The Girls voice literally sounded like the voices of thousands of girls speaking simultaneously. "The essence of fear is loneliness We are Slayer therefore we are never alone a thousand have come before us a thousand come after. To make us afraid you would have to know of fears forgotten by time and terrors that are barely dreams."

"Everything has fear It only remains that I dig it out and feed it as I feed off it."

"We have a new fear that we do not understand we can share it with you if you like."

The crowd of women parted to show a young boy Garcia standing in their midst. "What are you doing here Young Lovelace."

When I shared in their power some of what I am became part of what they are. including my greatest fear." Garcia stepped aside and Roberta stepped forward looking balefully at Ingrid.

Ingrid watched as the Maid seemed to almost shed her outer form and in its place was a huge Black feral hound growling viciously.

"You are afraid that this is all your precious maid is?"

"No," the young boy shook his head, "I'm afraid that deep down ... I've come to like her better this way." the boy leaned down and whispered int he hounds ear. "Ataque!"

The hound bounded forward Ingrid lashed out trying to defend herself but the hound had weight and speed on its side knocking her flat. Its slavering jaws clamped down. Ingrid felt their heat choking her crushing her.

She struggled against the powerful vision trying to control it. "I am in control here you can't do this you can't destroy me."

"You would be surprised what we can do in here Dream-Walker." the many warriors said in chorus

Ingrid watched as the crowd parted again and a tall hulking female shape shambled forward it was covered in tribal tattoos and paint. It looked at her with hate filled eyes and raised a shard of bone high in the air before bringing it down upon Ingrid's chest . Ingrid felt the pain of the bone slam home even as she denied its power to take her life.

"So much death we have seen. So much death we will see. We may not be able to kill you but we can make it so that you wish that we could."

A Chinese girl with a sharp fencing sword plunged the blade deep in Ingrid's chest. She felt the pain.

"One girl in all the world. For thousands of years there has been only one and now there are more it is not just the past which we can draw upon but Slayers across the length and breadth of time they will take their turn in time and you will know what it is to be killed by a Slayer."

***

The Corrupted stepped from the shelter of the Church and a zombie broke free of the soldier it has been fighting to run purposefully at the lone Slayer it has sen. As he reached the Corrupted the Old one reached out and grabbed the running beast holding aloft. The Soldier watched as the zombie screamed as began to decay it was like watching a speeded up film of athe rotting of a corpse. When the Old one released the zombie to fall to the ground it was dust that rained from its clasping fingers.

The old one looked at its hands and body and looked around. "This is just…neat." it said and moved forward again.

***

Rock, Xander and willow raced out to find Shunsi standing motionless and silent while Ingird screamed and cried in fear. Her mystical tattoos lashed and waved around. Ingrid's screams echoed across the battlefield bringing others including Faith, Buffy, Chang and Balalaika. The Mob Bosses were covered in mud and gore and they looked ecstatic.

"What's this?" Balalaika asked sharply as they looked at the woman crawling on the ground gibbering in madness.

"I think she's broken," Faith said wryly, "we might have to send out for another if we want to keep playing."

"I'm concerned that they aren't stopping she was controlling them but she wasn't the power source. They'll keep coming getting stronger at this rate." Buffy said thoughtfully

"I'm many things Ms Summers concerned is not one of them." She pulled her pistol and fired a round point blank into Ingrid's head the bullet ricocheted off the still protecting tattoos. Balalaika grimaced in frustration and aimed her assault rifle, obviously her intention was to similarly fire point blank. Buffy reached out and snatched the barrel directing it away from its target.

"Don't you get it, you maniac?" Buffy snapped, "They are part of her but she doesn't outright control them at least consciously. You pull that trigger and you'll end up hosing us down. You know not every problem can be solved with a gun."

"What about General Tso," Xander asked, "you think he's the linchpin holding this together?"

Faith shook her head, "I don't think those freaks are under anyone's control at this point. They're running on automatic pilot."

"Great we beat them they keep coming, we kill them they keep coming, We defeat their leaders still they keep on coming. "

"Yes Xander we grasp the salient points of the situations." Buffy said with cutting sarcasm, " What about the Island Slayers, they have the group speakie mojo have they anything else in the bag of tricks ?"

"Don't look at me, Xander replied, "I wasn't even aware they had a bag of tricks I mean other then the standard slayer package."

They watched as Corrado tore across the battlefield. He seemed to be getting larger and it was quickly obviously why. He was absorbing any zombies he could get his hands on adding their body mass and life force to his own. he was already about ten feet tall and thickly muscled. Sheu Yen was already fleeing the creature having obviously lost all control over it. The Party watched as The Beast grew larger and larger.

"That's really big." Buffy supplied helpfully.

Look, " Xander pointed and they at last saw Manuela wandering the through the battle.

"That's no Slayer, Willow cried out the old one is out

"Finally, " Balalaika snapped "the waiting was growing tiresome."

The Corrupted took the field and snatched random zombies decaying them in her grasp befoer casting them aside and moving onward. Corrado ran at her and The Corrupted raised it hand and froze the creature in place the crowd watched as beast started a palsied shaking before shredding apart. Then she looked at the rest of the army in front of them screaming loudly. the shock wave of that scream seemed to ripple outward swirling and growing until the world screamed in unison and each and everyone of the zombies exploded leaving bones and disjointed limbs in their place.

The Corrupted approached them. Even Xander could feel the awesome power coming off the girl now . They all stepped aside as the the Corrupted looked down at Ingrid like she was an insect or other lowly thing if interest.

"Foolish child to inscribe words of power upon your flesh without knowing fully what such a curse would entail. She reached down and the tattoos seemed to gather preventing her from grabbing Ingrid.

"I was already ancient when these worlds were first spoken," The Corrupted hissed in annoyance, "do you really think to deny me." The Corrupted seemingly reached INTO Ingrid's flesh and taking hold of the tattoos, ripped them free from her body producing a bone chilling scream from Ingrid who now shivered without protection.

"Miss Faith, If you would be so kind as to loan me your weapon," Balalaika said with cold intent. "Miss Summers seems adverse to my use of firearms."

Faith nodded and handed over her sword which the Russian took while gripping Ingrid's head and hair in her other hand.

For Vassilly ," she hissed plunging the blade deep in Ingrid's stomach and twisting it hard. "For Peter," she said repeating the gesture on Ingrid's other side. "And the rest of my men who suffered and died repelling your cowards tactics." She plunged the blade in a few more times before tossing the blade back to Faith and leaving Ingrid bleeding profusely on the ground.

Ingrid writhed on the ground in pain, blackish blood flowed out to stain the earth around her. She was obviously bleeding to death.

"Why didn't You finish her off?" Buffy asked.

"If I want someone dead I can make it happen. When I want them to suffer i make that happen too. She will die it will take time but she will die." Balalaika snapped.

"You are right, Miss Summers, " Chang said coldly, "there are many problems that can't be solved with a gun but there are few problems that cannot be solved by finding the right person to kill and right person to kill them."


	31. Chapter 31

Garcia's mind was finally at rest. The searing pain caused by the flood of images was gone replaced by a sense of familiarity He was back in his Fathers Study but with more pictures and more dust.

"Where are we?" He asked the blind woman who claimed to be his Granddaughter. A wild idea seeing as Garcia was barely in his teens, "Is this really the Lovelace Hacienda?"

"Not where Grandfather When -- YOU are lying on the floor of the Church of Violence some twenty five years in the past." The Young Woman explained, "You're dreaming of me and me...I am having one of several dreams that make my life a living hell. If it weren't for the strategic advantages the images occasionally provide I would wish to be just as blind in mind as I am in body."

"So you are like Manuela. You can see what Other Slayers see and hear?"

"My power is greater than Manuela's but it is essentially the same. Compensation I suppose for my inability to see though my own eyes."

"And you are my granddaughter. Wouldn't that mean that I..."

"Several times," Grace smiled with gentle amusement. "The Lovelace family is very large."

"That wasn't what I wanted to ask?" Garcia snapped his face flushing in embarrassment.

"Are you sure? Walking in on you and Grandma accidentally was one of the few times in my life I was glad that I can't see." Grace smiled ruefully. Garcia had to wonder if the young woman could see his face, "Even the blind can see you're untouched in more ways than one." She said with a grin, "That's a refreshing change. Fine I won't spoil the surprise."

"SO the things I saw Xander Harris and Mister Rock and the others. The people who died and things going wrong all of that was..."

"...Images of one possible future or at least possible for you. It has, I'm sorry to say became my reality. Xander Harris and Rock Okajima tried to end the wars and conflicts. They tried to take out all the enemies that plot against the Slayers and Watchers By the time they realized the mistake they had made it was too late."

"But Mister Okajima is a good man and Xander Harris risked his life to save me and others. "

"That is what Corruption really is; the sickening of men's souls. The decay of the spirit until everything falls into chaos. By living near The Corrupter everyday by soaking in its aura eating food and drinking water tinted by its presence, they were having their desire to protect the world distorted. Eventually they became everything they had started out to fight against... my hope is to change all that."

"You want me to kill the Old One?"

"You are the only one who can. You are the only one who can use the Lovelace weapon to its full potential."

"But Roberta has the weapon and besides she is much …"

"Remember something else," Grace snapped as she cut him off, "Auntie Roberta is like family but you are family and that will make all the difference."

"But she can … kill she's a warrior. I'm not …"

"Yes you are. Grandfather, believe me I know better then you how scared you are. You told me of this day and of how frightened everyone was. That was why they accepted the help of the Old One allowed it to become a part of life in Roanapur, but that was wrong; so very, very, wrong."

"Fine I will tell Roberta to …"

"No, Grandfather you have to stop that. Auntie was driven to despair and insanity because you begged her to revenge the death of Diego Lovelace my father and your son. You tried to deny what she was and distance yourself from the responsibility of taking care of her as Great Grandfather Diego did. But when your hatred and despair became too great, you ordered her to destroy the cartels you blamed for Father's death. She accomplished the goal but it cost her everything and you spent the rest of your days in bitter regret for your actions."

"No I don't believe you. I would never do that to Roberta."

"Look in your heart Grandfather. Threaten something that someone holds dear or worse take it away and even the noblest man will become a beast. That dark seed is what the Corrupted plays upon. It took years to wear you down but it happened. "

"Fine," The boy sighed, "Tell me what I am supposed to do with this weapon of yours."

"The weapon is the key you said that it could destroy the Corrupted but the time to do it was long past I wondered for a long time what you meant; now I know. The Corrupted was linked to its alter in the sanctum by the blood pact of our ancestor."

"That was why it wanted my blood, my blood and Manuela's."

Grace nodded, "The Blood of the Thirteenth and a Slayer bound the Corrupted to the sanctum and the altar in particular. That's why you and Manuela were able to release it at least partially. It is still bound to its altar in the sanctum. Once the altar is gone its only link will be its host. Destroy that host and you will disrupt the Old One for a time."

"But if the weapon could destroy a god I would have thought you d be doing it instead of talking to me

"You're right it can't destroy a god. An Old One's aura is too powerful. The weapon is only really effective against lesser demons or those touched by demonic influence."

There was a scream of pain and a thud outside. Grace looked panicked

"Trust your instincts just remember Grandfather, you were given an important gift but it was one you were not meant to hold. You must be willing to surrender that gift."

The door behind Grace started shaking and buckling eventually breaking apart. A lurching figure stepped though the doorway.

"Seer, your last defence has fallen. You are defeated." The figure said in the deep voice Garcia remembered. This was the Corrupted though the body it was using was different now from what it had been.

"I think it is you who are defeated" the blind woman said confidently "Goodbye Grandfather I look forward to meeting you again."

"Yes you will soon be reunited with your grandfather"

"I wasn't speaking to the Dead but to the living. Your plotting has backfired upon you. You have sent me the means of your destruction."

"The Corrupted looked up and Garcia can see its face. The face of Alexander Harris but everything about Xander was long dead. It was The Old One within his corpse.

"No Little Master," The Old One screamed in frustrated anger, "You cannot be here. I won't let you win."

"Yes I can!" Garcia snarled in resolution and in the end that was what it took to break him free of his dreams. He felt a wrenching pull like being yanked from behind. His last sight was The Corrupted taking hold of the woman who claimed to be his granddaughter her scream was loud though if it was one of joy or pain the young boy could not tell.

*FLASH*

***

Garcia awoke on the floor. His frenzied senses immediately told him that Fabiola was at his side "I can stop it Fabiola." The little boy ranted, "I can save us all but I need help I need that gun. That old one that that Roberta took from the house. "

"Master Garcia," Fabiola explained like she thought he was crazy "Roberta is in the midst of battle and the place it is wired to explode I have never seen so many bombs."

"Fabiola I know how this sounds, I've dragged you halfway round the world put us in the middle of a war zone made you kill to avoid being killed and now you confronting demons and monsters we all wanted to think are nothing but dreams ...But Roberta is out there and I can save us I know how. Please trust me just a little longer."

The Young Maid sighed then cursed with a passion that would make her brethren in the barrio blush. Then she displayed her weapons gripping her auto pistols with grim resolve. "Stay with me and do not leave my side unless I say otherwise." She ordered with a surprising amount of steel in her voice.

Together the two of them dashed up the stairs and through the Church. They met Eda and Revy along the way. Everyone was celebrating their triumph over the zombies. What few that remained were being hunted down.

"We have to get to Roberta, we can end this." Garcia said excitedly

"Bzzzzt, too late squirt" Revy said confidently, "that god thing just kicked some ass and took the tattooed bitch as well I'm going to call this one a win for the home team."

"It's dangerous you have to believe me." The young Boy insisted.

"It's been under the church all this time and not a peep kid." Eda assured him, "I'm thinking we're gonna be just fine."

Garcia saw he had to convince them and looked at Revy his father had always taught him that the secret to getting though to people who won't hear you was to find the thing they cared about. There was only one thing for which this terrible and violent woman cared.

"Where is Mister Okajima? You don't understand how dangerous that thing is. It wants to hurt anyone it considers good. It wanted me but if it can't get to me it will find another. Someone it can drag down and destroy like it wanted to do to me."

"What are you talking about Kid, what do you know." Revy asked suspiciously.

"Its wants … likes goodness it tried to get to me I think it would have possessed me if it could. I guess it has Manuela. But if it needs another it would find a good and decent soul that it can break down."

"Are you sure about this kid?" Eda asked doubtfully.

"I am," Revy, agreed, "I think he might be onto something."

"We have to get out of here anyway," Fabiola insisted, "This place is wired to explode."

Eda hushed her with a fierce wave of her hand, "Hey keep it down kid that's nothing for you to worry about OK?"

Revy twitched her head around, her tongue slid out of her mouth. Her face pinching in disgust at a foul taste that she alone could pick up. "Holy Christ, I can taste it too. The whole damn place is primed. How the hell you manage to keep this a secret Eda?"

"Hey Two Hands, we all got secrets."

"Well this one is a danger." THe Mini-maid complained, "The bombs are active."

"I know that kid" Eda soothed "look...maybe we should get everyone moving. "

"Stay " Fabiola snapped at her master like he was a disobedient puppy. Then she and Eda and Revy began herding every one outside Revy taking pot shots at stragglers. Well over their heads anyway but she came damn close.

The ghoul Alberto was not among the crowd of monsters who were obliterated by the flurry of the Old Ones attack or the systematic hunting down by the Slayers afterward. He watched as the three ladies shoved and cursed people out the door of the church and toward the main gates.

Alberto smiled and headed toward the child he saw lurking near the church door The FARC commander steamrollered in, eager to kill his target. He was shocked however when he was viciously clothes lined.

Roberta stepped out of the smoke of war. She leveled the mini-gun she still held and pulled the trigger. The bullets screamed across the short span chewing Alberto to shreds. As the force of her attack pushed him back he would stumble across body parts that he would use to try and heal himself but the hail of mini-gun fire continued until at last she exhausted the belt of ammunition.

"Come Mad Dog, lets you and I finished what we started."

"So all that remains of the once brave FARC commander is a freak who hunts children." Roberta snarled, "This Cowardly attack and the threat to take the Young Master have cleared my mind and focused me."

"You should have taken my offer of power." The Zombie commander snarled as rushed her, teeth bared seeking her throat and blood.

"You think becoming a walking mockery of a man is power." Roberta snapped as she raised her powerful rifle and shotgun and shot at him with both sometimes one at a time, sometimes at the same time. She shot him again and again over and over.

Alberto felt his body being torn up by the shots that finally dropped him to the ground.

"I'll be back," he slurred he face destroyed by a gunshot, "I'll hunt you and that filthy brat till the sun dies and see you both dead."

Roberta stood up. Picking up a discarded gas canister. She tossed the canister though the air shooting it with the shotgun as it passed over Alberto thoroughly soaking him in fuel. She then produced a lighter "They can only bring you back if they have something to resurrect." The Bloodhound said with a cold smile. She flicked the lighter to life and tossed it on to his animated corpse. The heat of the explosion washed across her face, the warmth cleansing and burning the last of her madness away.

She knew now this was what she was always meant to be doing. Protecting Garcia and his allies from all that threatened them. She looked into the heat and saw across the way Master Diego his arm curled around a woman whose picture Roberta recalled from the man's private Study. This must be his beloved Wife they were together at last. Both waved to her and saluted her.

"On my honour Master Diego, I will see that he becomes all that you believed he could be. With my last breath I will protect him and guide him." She whispered.

She noticed finally that Fabiola and Garcia were standing off to one side. They had watched her final judgment. Once they were sure the area was safe, they started forward, producing a burst of incomprehensible babble.

It took most of Roberta's awesome processing ability but she worked out the important bits Garcia had a means of defeating the Old One and needed her help and Fabiola had noticed that the Church of Violence was wired to blow up which might be part of the larger plan.

"Fine," she said "Fabiola you are with me. We must get the Young Master to the others so that he can tell them of what he has learned. She shouldered her shotgun and rifle and started forward with Fabiola at her side together the two Lovelace Maids were mercilessly efficient.

***

Buffy's fury was obvious to everyone. The Argument with Balalaika combined with everything else to bring The Slayer's blood to a boil. The air surrounding her was fairly crackling with the electricity of her desire to be defiantly confrontational.

Xander cleared his throat loudly. I'm sure I'm putting a dent in what would be a very lively wagering about who would win if you and the Captain ever threw down but ... if the bad guys have just gone bye bye doesn't that mean we have won. "

Indeed people were emerging from the church to poke at the remains of the zombie army. One by one cheers and shouts of joy could be heard.

The crowds began moving toward the gate. With Yolanda loudly reminding any who had rented weapons from her of the stiff penalties she charged for late return.

"Indeed, Craftsman," The Corrupted said, addressing Xander, "Our victory was a temporary one. The forces of the Wolf, Ram and Hart will rally in time. They will make another attempt to take this place for their own."

"I do not intend to stand idly by while that happens." Balalaika growled, "Comrade Sergeant be so kind as to restrain General Sheu Yen I would not want him getting lost." she snapped into her radio. Boris reported that they already had the man in hand and would look after him.

"Russian, you will gather your forces," The Corrupted said imperiously, "prepare them for battle, I see now that I will have to resume my place in this world."

"Indeed, and whom are you planning that I fight." Balalaika asked coldly,

"More importantly the fight is over the bad guys have been blown away." Buffy snapped, "how about you let Manuela go now"

Not until my enemies have been crushed and are being driven before me their forces laid waste to, and their forms displayed for my amusement."

"Sounds like a plan," Buffy replied her voice heavy with sarcasm, "well if your going to be grooving to the lamentation of their women and all I guess you wont be needing that altar thingy so is it OK I told Xander to destroy it?"

"Have a care Slayer do not ruse my anger your kind will be needed in the new order but you specifically may do well to measure your tone."

"No its OK not a problem at all. I can just jet downstairs and set a few charges and bobs your uncle -- as Giles would say.... why does Giles say that?"

Giles rubbed his glasses tiredly, "It's an English thing If I explain it to you will you promise to never, ever use the term publicly ever again?"

"You will not harm my altar Craftsman."

"Why, why are you so hot to hold onto the remains of place that where you were imprisoned for so long."

"I'll tell you why" Garcia answered them Fabiola and Roberta at his side. "He needs it. He's been able to manifest but that required the blood of two people who had sealed the chamber; one slayer and one of the knights who sealed the altar. Manuela's blood and my blood unsealed the chamber. But until he fully manifests, has full control of his body, the corrupted won't want to surrender its only means to escape death assuming that body is damaged..."

Buffy was catching on. "That's why he's so hot to start fighting the bad guys so badly if your people fight they will die and the despair will feed it make it stronger "

"You meant for me to learn the secret to free you but instead my mind skipped forward. I saw what this place will become if you are allowed to stay here and grow fat off the corruption of this city. "

"Clever boy but you lack the ability or the will to defeat me and my power is growing every second."

"Actually I do have the ability to defeat you. You don't recognize it since Roberta had it modified but it should still work like it used to."

"The Lovelace rifle?"

The Old One laughed "Those pathetic weapon was never meant to conquer my kind I'm too powerful demonic by blows like Vampires and their ilk are the only things that would fall to such a weapon as that. You dare to defy me Boy. Maybe you need to see why I was once worshipped as a God The Corrupted stretching out its hand pointing at one person or another causing them to explode. "I offered you a place at the right hand of a god but if you prefer oblivion..."

Suddenly the Old One was rocked by a gun blast. "Who dares?" it screamed in pain.

Roberta stood in its pathway firing first from her shotgun and then from The Lovelace Rifle. As the Old One was rocked by blast after blast Roberta quickly abandoned the shotgun I favor of pumping round after round from the Antique Rifle.

"Push him into the church," Xander shouted at the fighters, "get him into the Church!"

Roberta nodded, Buffy swept in and lashed out with her scythe. She made sure to aim at the part of the Corrupted that Roberta had shot at and together the two women started making headway. The God tried to unleash a shout but Roberta would shot at its mouth silencing it and Buffy would follow up the shot with a slash or swipe.

The Corrupted would reach for Buffy only to have her hand struck by weapon fire or slashed at by the ancient Scythe. Little by little, step, by step, the two warriors ere forcing the Old One back, forcing it to retreat, wounding it. Finally the Old One collapsed on the steps of the church Of Violence and Buffy grabbed the Demon hurling it though the doors with all the finesse of a bouncer launching an uncooperative rummy. She pulled the doors and dashed away

"Time for Option B Xander … tell me you got an Option B." Buffy demanded when she rejoined the group.

"Don't you know it babe." he turned to Yolanda "Anytime you're ready, Grandma."

"You'd be lucky if I was your grandmother." the old woman snapped and pulled a radio detonator from the depth of her cloak. She switched on the thing and took a long look at her beloved Church. "Ah well I was planning on redecorating anyway." she sighed bitterly as she pressed a switch.

A massive explosion tore the church apart. It seemed to start from the depths of the church and worked its way outward consuming the building floor by floor and then blooming outward to consume the grounds themselves everything beyond the gates leading in to the church was blasted straight into the air in a fireball with a massive thudding sound. The blast would be easily visible from anywhere on the island. Xander suspected the blast could have been visible from space. It was so all encompassing yet for all its violence it was extremely focused. With subsequent blasts blowing back toward the center. When the violent blasts subsided, there was a crater the Church of Violence once stood.

As the smoke cleared Buffy was coughing dust and smoke from her lungs while cursing. "Jesus Christ Xander, I said Option B not Fat-Man And Little Boy."

"Don't look at me, I was just using the tools at hand. The actual bombing was all Yolanda's doing?"

The old woman smiled as she explained, "I live in a city with criminals and psychos with whom I do business on a regular basis. It would be foolish of me not to prepare for the worst-case scenario.

"Mutually assured destruction," Chang laughed with dawning realization, "if we ever invaded the church or tried to take her out she'd blow the whole place. Not bad Yolanda, not bad at all. I had no idea you had it in you."

Yolanda smiled, or at least her mouth did there was nothing at all pleasant in the old woman's single cold gaze. "No need to make a production out of it I just skimmed an order here or there and planted charges throughout the church grounds."

"... And you knew about this Harris," Balalaika asked with cold suspicion, her estimation of the man was growing at the same time as her determination to keep a very close eye on him in the future.

"I found out by accident and Yolanda can be very scary and persuasive when she wants." Xander shrugged as he answered, "Easily scary as you Captain."

Buffy couldn't hold back the smug look that crossed her face. "Our entire plan hinged on trusting an Old One and if there is one thing I've learned in ten years of fighting these kinds of things is that you can't trust them. They always find a way to screw you over always. It's just the way they are. I figured it was best to have a back-up option be available and Xander assured me he would have one ready."

Balalaika gave a curt nod. "Well it seems to have been effective can we call this situation dealt with?" she asked.

"I doubt it. I mean that was big blast and all but, Old ones are tough really, really tough and I doubt this one is going to die just like that and be all accommodating."

"Its still alive under all that?" Chang asked.

Xander replied with a bitter cackle, "…a few tons of masonry foundation and earth, oh yeah that will only have slowed it down. We might want to start making an Option-C sooner rather then later."

"Maybe the kid's magic gun can do the job." Buffy asked

Willow held out her hand "May I see your gun Ms. Roberta?"

Roberta handed firearm over and Willow took it gingerly looking at intensely

"What is it Will?" Xander asked.

"You didn't use this during your fight with Buffy did you?" The Witch asked.

"No of course not, Miss Summers was not responsible for Master Lovelace's death at best she was just intent on protecting someone I did blame. There was no need to use such a thing on her. It would not have been just."

"What's the deal Willis." Xander asked.

"This weapon disrupts demon energy. Even a glancing hit would damage even a full-blooded demon. A slayer might lose their abilities for a time. A direct shot to a critical hit area and...."

Xander looked at Roberta. "Thank God for your sense of drama. What I don't get is why she was able to use the weapon like this at all don't they make this stuff so only family members can use it?"

Garcia answered "Roberta is family in every way that matters to me." He said with pride.

Willow nodded, "...Which is good enough for the powers that be. Since in Garcia's mind she's family, she gets to use the weapon. Maybe not at full strength but as you can see she makes up for it in other ways."

The shattered Earth trembled and the pile of rubble began to shift. The Old One was forcing its way back to the surface.

"Xander where are we on that Option-C?" Buffy asked.

"My ears are still ringing from Option B. If you got something, now would be the time for it. He turned to Balalaika and Chang "I'd order your people to pull back. When that thing comes out it will be pissed. Buffy's Scythe and That Magic Gun are the only things we have that will even make a dent in it."

Balalaika nodded and ordered a retreat but neither she nor Chang seemed inclined to back off.

Roberta and Buffy slowly approached the crater. The pile of rubble shifted and slowly and a hand emerged. The Corrupted felt around and then pushed the many rocks and debris off itself standing at Manuela's full height,

"You dare oppose me? You, a slayer, my kind bled the blood that wrote every word on every page of the story of this pathetic world and you think to destroy me?"

"duh, you and your kind were banished from this world." Buffy insisted, "You'd have joined them if you hadn't been imprisoned here."

"No not imprisoned, I honestly had no more taste for chaos I wanted torpor. But the girl reached out to me. Her suffering, the decay of her soul was so sweet I had to taste it again and again. When she gave herself so willingly to me, and I finally felt the air and the earth again as I had once before I could not give it up. I won't give it up. I will have my kingdom again and young Garcia will be my new vessel in his body I will go forth and conquer this world. Garcia come to me."

"Young master remain where it is safe. I will deal with this ...thing." Roberta called to Garcia who was drifting closer.

"You presume much hunting dog did I not already say…"

"Yeah, yeah you're a god;" Buffy snapped, "we get it, would you just die already?"

"I was speaking Slayer, do not interrupt you betters." The Corrupted screamed and lashed out with psychokinetic force. Buffy was picked up and hurled backward into pile of rubble that collapsed on top of her. Willow screamed Buffy's name trying to reach her friend. Roberta fired the Rifle again but The Corrupted snatched the weapon pulling it aside. The shot only grazed the Ancient demon that punched Roberta in the stomach doubling her over.

All too quickly the Old One they had thought defeated now held Roberta close and fixed Garcia with a hateful stare. "Garcia come to me." The Corrupted hissed, the demon-god trailed fingers though Roberta's hair causing it turn silvery gray "Come to me boy or watch your beloved maid …die horribly."

the others protested but Garcia shook them all off and approached the twosome slowly. "That's it young master …closer I promise you I will spare her and the other maid. The rest will pay for their defiance. Your servants however may continue to serve me once I am you…consider it an act of charity on my part a reward for giving me your flesh. "

Roberta looked with panic at her precious Garcia seemingly ready to sacrifice himself. "Young Master do not, please I beg you. Please do not sacrifice yourself for me."

"I'm not doing this for you I'm doing it for Mother And Father. Soon I will be with them and we can be happy and a family. No more fighting ands gun and blood and terror just heavenly peace. "

"Yes come to me Garcia and I will grant you the peace your soul so badly craves."

Garcia reached out and The Corrupted grabbed him. Garcia took his hand and there was a sparking discharge that caused a convulsion that caused The Corrupted to release both of them with a scream

Roberta rolled clear and snatched Garcia away but The Corrupted was writhing in pain and seemed to be blurring and shaking. "What is this…who can you …what is.... you are gone. Your soul is… but how?"

Buffy finally freed herself from the rubble pile and dashed over. They watched mystified at what was happening. Willow was looking at him and then with realization cried out "That sneaky bitch …I love it."

"Will?" Xander asked with surprising calm.

"Manuela she gave Garcia the ability to see though the eyes of a slayer. She did that by giving him a little piece of her soul.".

"A piece of her soul?" Balalaika asked totally mystified,

"Just a little …not enough to make him a full slayer. Just enough so that he got the dreams and specifically Manuela's ability to see through the eyes of anyone with slayer blood. "

"So when he tried to take over Garcia he had to form a connection which allowed the small sliver to hop back to where it came from."

Willow nodded eagerly "… A part of her soul that did not submit to the Old One. Now Manuela's mind and spirit are coming to the fore again."

As if waiting for her words as a cue, The Corrupter's black eyes closed and Manuela's brown eyes opened "What's happening what have I done. I can feel him inside me scratching at me, clawing..."

"He used your fear and despair." Garcia explained, sadness in his young voice, "He used it to wear you down like he tried to do to me."

The girl began to weep. "I'm so sorry I didn't know, it hurt so much I thought ...I wanted to end I wanted it so bad I didn't care what he wanted what he asked me to do. "

"He tricked you that's what his kind do "

"He's going to force me aside, take me over I am fighting him now but there isn't much left to fight with."

"You don't have to fight him you just have to hold him back for a few more seconds." Garcia said softly and picked up the weapon that Roberta had dropped Roberta paled as she realized what his intent was.

"No young master give it to me I will...."

"No you won't. You are like family Roberta but I AM Family. There are some responsibilities that are mine alone and it's long past time I carried my own burden." he shouldered the weapon sighting down the barrel "May Santa Maria watch over you Manuela. Hopefully we will see each other in paradise." he pulled the trigger and the weapon barked in his hand. The girl shivered once and fell silent.

A silvery light emerged from the body pulsing as it rose into the air Willow clapped her hands around it and when they opened again in her hands a small silvery crystal.

"Is it over is the fucker gone?" Revy asked.

"Nah all that is left is this. Should be easy to hold onto we'll need to keep it isolated otherwise. " Willow said sadly

Roberta took the weapon from his limp fingers and took him in her arms Garcia couldn't hold it in any longer and started crying. She held him and soothed him; his sobbing was the only thing audible on that lonely hill for a long, long time.

***


	32. Chapter 32

***

While the Church of Violence was the most high profile structure destroyed during the battle that had engulfed the city it was not the only place ruined. The hotel and warehouse districts had been shot up pretty badly and the entire section of town in which Buffy and Roberta had their throw down was basically razed with the few surviving building reduced to being structural write offs. A conservative estimate said that fully a third of the city had been affected.

General Sheu Yen tried handing himself over to Claxton's Grey Foxes. Claxton considered the idea for all of five seconds. Claxton was a man who respected the chain of command but his men came first in his mind and fighting his way passed a group of pissed off Russians and Triad soldiers was not, in his view, an effective use of his men's lives. His sense of duty required however that he take charge of the man handing him over to Police Chief Watsup. Watsup took him into custody with a very familiar smile on his face. Everyone knew that sometime in the next few hours The General would make an ill-advised escape from the lockup. What happened to him on the rough streets of Roanapur would not be Claxton's responsibility.

The Corrupter's attack had left behind a horror show. Bodies left in various stages of decay with some being little more than pools of goo surrounding skeletons, some of them so brittle that they puffed into ash as soon as they were touched.

The Island Slayers insisted on personally digging Manuela out of the place where she had fallen. They used whatever tools they could scrounge up and both Lovelace maids helped as much as they could. It took some time, but they pulled her body from the wreckage. Aside from the single gunshot wound to the heart that had taken her life, she was otherwise unmarred. They wrapped her in a sheet and asked for Dutch to take them back to the island where they had a garden of fruit and flowers that would be her final resting place. A peaceful smile was still on her face. She looked free.

Everyone gave Roberta a lot of space. She had, if it was possible become even more protective of Garcia since the end of the affair. She was for destroying the rifle as soon as she pried from his hands but he refused with Buffy boldly agreeing with him that he should hang on to the weapon. When Xander asked why she made a cryptic comment about needing someone she could trust with the kryptonite bullet. A comment that prompted Xander to loudly declare that under no circumstances was Buffy to ever spend long periods of time with Andrew Wells again ...ever.

She responded sadly that the chances were she was going to be spending a lot of time with Andrew since she was going to need a replacement tactical support specialist. That was when it became obvious to everyone else. Xander was staying in Roanapur, at least for the foreseeable future. The Island Slayers were capable fighters of course but there was a viciousness and brutality to their technique that had nothing to do with their abilities and everything to do with the fact that each and every one had known nothing accept sadistic brutality for most of their formative life. It would have been ridiculous to expect them to not use that same brutality in their fighting.

There was also the job of rebuilding the city which had somehow become his responsibility as well. While everyone agreed that Roberta and Buffy had caused most of the damage everyone was pointing out that neither would have been a problem had Xander himself not been involved. While some might have said that was unfair, Xander himself most loudly, there was a huge crater sitting where The Church of Violence used to be and Sister Yolanda made it clear that she wanted that crater remade back into a Church.

He thought he could back out of the deal by pricing himself high but he forgot that combined, 14k and Hotel Moscow and the other syndicates, had a huge fortune they could throw at a project like rebuilding the city. Money would be no object and as long as Xander was willing to turn a blind eye to where the supplies were coming from and the less then savoury backgrounds of his work crew the job would not take that long. Xander wasn't that thrilled about turning his back on criminals with construction tools. But even he had to admit a job like this would require going grey market with the hiring for a little while. The Slayers even offered to help him and although Xander was uncomfortable using the Slayer Army as a source of labour he had to admit that helping rebuild the city would go long way to making every one more comfortable with the fact a super powered army was sitting on their doorstep; and then there was the fact they were getting paid.

Xander reluctantly accepted his fate but he wasn't the only one being maneuvered. The Syndicate bosses all had a quiet impromptu meeting and collectively decided they needed someone they could trust to keep an eye on Harris. Abrago and The Colombians didn't bother hiding the fact that Xander was going to want to steer clear of South America for a long, long time. The cartels there were pissed with him and the FARC was blaming him personally for the deaths of its soldiers and for the fact that Roberta wasn't dead. The Sicilians were upset about the loss of their warehouses and even Balalaika and Chang had to admit to a certain annoyance that the cost of rebuilding the city was going to be borne almost entirely by them. They needed Xander but they also needed a guarantee that having him around wasn't going to lead to the kind of chaos that was all too familiar. Balalaika flatly refused to deal with Buffy; their confrontations left a bad taste in the mob mistress mouth. One by one every possibility was suggested and discarded until only one name remained on their list.

***

The Imposing edifice that housed UG Pork looked like a Gothic fortress so it made sense in a way that it was where Sawyer could be found. Usually she was there on her own. Nobody dared to disturb the ominous silence of the place but today it had important visitors coming.

Rotton had offered to help Sawyer out by driving her delivery truck around the island picking up the many, many bodies around. Faith however had been volunteered to help Sawyer prep the place. The building had survived the zombie attack largely untouched but the outside had to be cleaned and the inside washed down.

Sawyer finally left Faith on her own to switch into her Working outfit. The Slayer was a little creep-ed out by the Cleaner's full body doctor's scrubs including face mask and all-concealing goggles that made it impossible to recognize Sawyer unless you heard the mechanical tones of her ultra-voice.

I am surprised." Rotton commented on his return to the lab. Sawyer made him pull on heavy rubber gloves when he was hauling bodies out of the truck. "Most people are...intimidated by their first time in Sawyer's ...workspace."

**"**Dutch told me Xander lasted a week here.**"** The Slayer admitted. 

**"Well he was EMPLOYED... for a week ... Boss Chang made me pay him in spite of his running around ... paying catch-me-if-you-can.**"

Faith sighed, "Life is never normal for any of our little group. That having been said, this place is gloomy with a capital Gloom."

Sawyer had an almost snide grin, "**The atmosphere has... its uses. Just the sight of the room... can be very ... useful**."

Faith fingered the edges of the Table Saw she was leaning on, "I'm going to go ahead and assume the sight of the diamond edged circular saw might also have something to do with it." She said thoughtfully.

"**I'm impressed... you really know your ... equipment.**" Sawyer seemed to peer closely at her,

"Tell me Ms Faith," Rotton asked politely, "are you as conflicted about your past actions as the Witch?"

"I was in a different headspace back then. I know it won't make sense but I had this thing. I wanted people to like me. If I couldn't make them like me, will having them afraid of me was fun too."

"**When people first see me ...they don't think much of me...until they see what I can do for them ...or to them." **Sawyer paused and lit the blowtorch in her hands Faith watched the icy blue flame settle into a firm sinister glow.

"I too think I can understand how you must feel better then you can imagine." Rotton said gently.

"So tell me something." Faith asked seriously, "Does either of you two know why I am here? Balalaika asked me to help you and said it had to be me and not Xander what's the deal?"

Sawyer shook her head, "**All I know is ...that I'm to make you feel at home... until Boss Chang and Miss ...Balalaika arrive ... I have done so I think **"

"I know I kind of owe them. I mean they've been feeding me and letting stay at that apartment but I'm not sure if I'm ready to ...."

"Kill people?" Rotton snorted, "I doubt that's what they have in mind...if they want people ...dead there are many ...who will do that kind of thing... without a thought."

Chang and Balalaika entered the room chatting amiably while behind them several men were dragging the General who was looking a lot less brave.

"Hi Guys, Miss Sawyer, Mister Rotton -- a pleasure as always." Chang smiled "Faith Glad you could make it. We needed to have a chat"

"What kind of chat?"

Faith noticed Rotton responding to an almost unnoticeable signal from Sawyer "I think I should go check up on Shenhua...I'm sure she will be feeling neglected by now." He said smoothly as he slipped out the door.

Balalaika smiled "Faith the fact is The Slayers on the island aren't going anywhere for some time and your Mister Giles tells me that several of the girls who have left would like to return. For better or worse it would seem Roanapur is going to have both Slayers and Watchers for some time."

Chang continued, "Xander is a capable young man but the recent unpleasantness with the Maid has made people --- a little nervous around him. We need someone that can restrain his more exuberant tendencies.

"We'd like you to keep him on a short leash and if possible keep him from burning the rest of the city to the ground." Balalaika snapped.

"There's also the rest of the Slayers as well." Chang pointed out, "They are unlikely to trust anyone they don't already know and the fact is they already know you and trust you. Harris is already going to need help training them we are just asking that you keep us informed about their progress and speak on our behalf when Miss Summers is making her unilateral decisions about what the Slayers and Watchers are going to be up to."

"Wait are you asking me to ..."

"We need you Faith. Everyone who matters in town already trusts you. Plus you have demonstrated you can work with all the major players in this town which makes you useful."

"You want me?"

"Really we need you my dear," Balalaika said "You are the only one that everyone involved in this affair actually can count on."

"It would just be for a little while until things settle and of course you could keep staying at the apartment in town."

For a moment Faith saw it all. Xander, Eda, Revy. they had all in their own way told her what Roanapur was and What it could do the best of intentions, the best of hopes, the best of dreams.

For as long as she could recall, she had always wanted to hear those words. Her absentee mother had never said them; her First Watcher had won Faith total loyalty because she had said those words. The Mayor, Angel, Giles, Even Xander at one point or another Faith realized her one weakness was that she liked to, no ... needed to, hear those words and now a group of ruthless Mob bosses were saying them and they meant it. -- We need you Faith and we trust you. You are the only one who can help us, -- not Buffy not Xander not any of the others her and her alone.

Buffy was too holier-than-thou. Giles had some insight but he had turned his back on the dark and shadow a long time ago. Xander's moral compass would have him tilting at the first windmill to come along. He could do what he had to do what he needed to do. But some tasks required a certain commitment to the bottom line that not even Xander could manage not without being pushed and pushed hard.

But Faith, Faith had realized a long time ago that step by step, inch by inch this place was crawling into the dark places in her heart and taking root. She didn't need to be ashamed of who she was or where she had come from not anymore. Just as Buffy had been perfectly placed in Sunnydale; Faith was perfect for Roanapur.

"What would l have to do..."

We can discuss it later over a nice drink and a meal but first we need to deal with some outstanding business if you won't mind waiting for us?"

Faith knew her fate, like the General's was sealed. Unlike him however she was going to come out of this with everything she'd ever secretly dreamed of and all she had to do was turn a blind eye to what was about to happen to a degenerate flesh peddler. She hoped all her choices in Roanapur would be this easy.

"I'm not doing anything important I can wait." Faith said simply.

"Excellent Faith, I knew we could count on you." Balalaika turned to Sawyer and pointed at the struggling General. "Ms Frederica, Take your time with this one. There's a bonus in it for you if he still breathing when you are finished."

There was a note of fearful defiance in Sheu Yen's voice as he looked into Balalaika's cruel eyes.

"At least I was right about Chang he isn't man enough to kill me himself."

"You aren't going to die you piece of shit. I'm not going to let you die and as for Chang, This was his idea."

You set up an operation on my territory you put thugs in my backyard and then you threaten me and try and take my business." Chang reminded him, "You don't have enough balls to do all that on your own so you are going to help us deliver a message to all the little scum who backed your pathetic little power-play."

"Chang I am your sworn brother you owe me and the other members loyalty." The General cried out as Balalaika's men stripped him and bound him to the table saw.

"I must not trespass upon the territory occupied by my sworn brothers. I shall be killed by five thunderbolts if I pretend to have no knowledge of my brothers' rights in such matters." Chang's words sent a cold shiver though Sheu Yen. They were part of an oath that every Triad member swore to uphold when they joined.

Chang smiled when he saw the man's shocked recognition. "Ahh, so you do remember the oaths?" Chang said cheerfully, "How about this one? I must not covet or seek to share any property or cash obtained by my sworn brothers. If I have such ideas I will be killed. -- Seems to me I'm owed a little something for the disrespect you've shown me, my business partners and my allies."

"I'm not afraid of some arrogant bastard and his scar-faced bitch." Sheu Yen shouted "Do your worst I won't give you the satisfaction of breaking."

"You have no idea what my worst is," Chang hissed, "and as for breaking you... General, this is not about interrogation. This is about punishment."

Balalaika spoke casually "Last time I bothered checking there were about twenty active Triad Bosses who look over your shoulder at anytime."

Chang nodded, "He would have had to get at a least a few of them onside to get permission to make a run at me."

"Twenty bosses, ten fingers, ten toes. I think this Wolfram and Hart should be sent a message as well. I believe they have a Beijing office."

"Yeah they do; Hey General that makes twenty one." Chang smiled coldly

Sawyer finally finished prepping. She waved everyone out of the way and approached the table with a heavy sledgehammer in her hands. Faith noted the ease with which the small woman wielded the heavy looking tool. Sawyer really was stronger then she looked ...a lot stronger.

"Please for God Sake," He begged Faith, "You can't let them do this to me."

"Couldn't happen to a nicer guy." Faith replied coldly. "And from my point of view, you're just getting what's coming to you."

Sawyer stepped toward the table and began her grim work. The heavy blows from the hammer and sound of crunching bones and later the whine of the table saw were just loud enough nobody heard Faith muttering to herself under her breath , "I'm good with this, I'm good with this I'm good with this." It was a while before she had herself convinced.


	33. Chapter 33

***

The sun rose again as it inevitably does. The Lagoon put out to sea with The Grey Foxes aboard. They were being delivered to a safe place from which they would secretly return home to America. The trip was part of the deal Rock brokered to make sure the Foxes kept the details of the war they had fought to themselves .Meanwhile Chang was seeing to the Lovelace trio's departure. Roberta offered to leave by a separate route assuming she was no longer welcome in Garcia's home anymore Garcia surprised everyone once more by snickering loudly at her offer.

"You are a maid in the Lovelace household Roberta and you will be until I say otherwise." The young man said with an impressive level of confidence. "However it is obvious to me now that the duties of Head-maid leave you with too much time on your hands I think It is time for a change Fabiola can take your duties now I hope you can learn from her that your place is at my side not gallivanting around the world forcing me to come and find you."

The Young Master then turned on his heel and boarded the plane with not a backward glance. Fabiola looked as surprised as anyone else and looked at Roberta

"Is he serious head-maid?"

"I think that title now belongs to you Fabiola. Now as head of household you should attend to the young master while I gather our things for departure.

Fabiola nodded, "...and when we get back I'll have a new division of responsibility drawn up. ...if that's OK?" She added this last in a small voice.

Roberta smiled at the young girl "You're in charge now dear....we can work on it on the way. For now, shoulders back -- chest high -- you are Head maid under Garcia Fernando Lovelace that should be reflected in your walk and deportment."

"...Roberta, the bags if you please." Fabiola said with a little more strength in her voice.

"Yes Mistress Head maid." Roberta said with a smile. She seemed happy. Happier by far then Xander had ever seen her since they had met days ago.

Buffy, Willow and the squad of Slayers they had brought with them were taking a plane out as well. This was to spare Willow who drained herself in the fight and was likely going to need a lot of rest when they got home. Rather than press her abilities anymore Willow and Buffy arranged for a plane ride out for the Slayers. While they had not lost many, the few that had died were a keen loss that was made all the more sharper as many of the girls had come along on the mission to rescue Xander from Roanapur and now he was staying behind. Indeed Faith was staying as well though no one questioned her oddly pale appearance. Everyone assumed she had a late night but she was adamant about not discussing who or what had kept her up late.

Giles was leaving a long and detailed list of things he was hoping Xander would keep an eye on if he was taking up field duties again. Topping the list was Giles determination to understand the nature of the Slayers ability to act as a group and pour their power into a single individual.

After the Slayers and Watchers had left, the city went through a kind of collective unclench of its sphincter. The party was subdued mostly because the Yellow flag was still shot up but the bar was open and you could drink there as long as you didn't mind the fact one whole wall was gone leaving the place more like an open air cafe then a bar. Bao the bartender was price gouging, marking up the hooch since the place now had atmosphere.

Xander stayed long enough to be social-able but retired early since he was rebuilding the city block by block. Xander and Eda had found one of the few hotels still in one piece finding an unoccupied and cheap hotel room in the city had been a challenge with several of them shot to hell or gutted by fire. Several of Eda's favourite hideaways had been lost in the battle and she was going to have to find new places. This one had the unique quality of being directly over a hotspot making it perfect for using the net book she had in the next room. She was typing at the thing now.

"You're lucky, I'm so even tempered;" Eda reminded Xander, "another girl might be pissed that she was being forced to set up a whole new series of safe houses thanks to you."

"Trust me Eda; I'm starting to realize how much damage was caused. Between Roberta's war and the Zombie attack the place is a mess." Xander whined. "What were you and Buffy talking about anyway you seemed to be having quite the intense discussion at one point."

Eda smiled "Buffy was marking her territory you know how it is Mess-with-Xander-and-die."

"Somehow I would have thought that would have been Willow...Guess having Kennedy has calmed her down a little. Between having my friends threaten you and blowing up your place of business I'm really making one hell of an impression."

Eda waved him off. "I knew Yolanda was going to pull that trigger one day. I'm glad it was sooner rather than later." she disappeared back into the other room and Xander could hear soft typing.

"What are you working on?" he asked tiredly.

Eda lied smoothly "I'm just letting the powers that be know that Ingrid is no longer among the living and that she wasn't working for the Company and maybe never was."

Xander sensed her untruth, "IF you are writing me a Dear John Letter you could just deliver me the news in person. I'm a big boy I could handle it."

"Why would I Dear John You? Just because you are a crusading Do-Gooder with no sense of self preservation doesn't make you any less fun to be around. "

Xander was about to protest but Eda appeared again and this time she removed her shades. Xander waited as the woman sat down beside him and looked him in the eyes.

"Xander ninety percent of what screws up relationships can be traced directly to unfulfilled expectations and desires people wanting things they can't have or expecting things that will never happen. You and I, we beat those odds right away. I told you I back grounded you. I already know who and what you are. You are fairly sharp enough to know who I work for and what I do for them. Sure I'm going to want to know what you and the Watchers are up to and some of it you will want to keep from me but some of your operations will be a lot easier if you have access to the kind of information I can get for you."

"Sounds like great fun for you what are I getting out of this?"

"My promise that when and if I die, it won't be your fault. I'm going to die, Revy, Rock, Buffy, Willow, even you. That's just the way it is. It's like that old song says -- Sooner or later God will cut us down."

Xander nodded in pained recognition, "Go and tell that long tongued liar, go and tell the midnight rider, tell the gambler the rambler, the backbiter; tell them God's gonna cut 'em down... -- a list of practically every person who lives in this town."

"That, my friend is a list of practically everyone who's ever lived -- period. We're all sinners but if I've earned my place by the fire I'm at least not minding the company."

"So how do we do this?"

"One day at a time one crisis at a time that's the way it always works down here."

"I feel like I have heard the name Millennium before but I may need access to the Watcher records."

"You mean the records you gave up control of when you demoted yourself."

"Crap, well I know all the girls in Records and Research I guess I'm going to have to start cashing in favours."

"Maybe you could get Rock to ask. He's the new guy in the block; they might be more inclined to cut him slack then you."

"Rock will have his hands full. Revy was on a tear at the bar tonight if I'm any judge I'd say her near death experience has left her a little freaked. She was binge drinking like crazy."

That's Revy, Xand, she fights hard, plays hard, and crashes hard after she does either of the two."

"No, don't hold back Eda." Xander said sarcastically "tell us what you really think."

"Xander I like Revy she's the closest thing I have to a girlfriend in this shit hole. She's a great as a drinking buddy and even better to have at your back during a gun fight even if she's a relentless cunt shunt."

"Excuse me? Cunt shunt --"

"Think female version of Cock Blocking. My point is that Revy is all those things but she is also a violent hot tempered sociopath. Not exactly the safest bet in the Long term planning department."

"Revy can be a handful but one bad toss of the coin, you could have been in the same spot you know?"

"No I don't know that at all."

"Well I do. Dad lived out on the east coast for a while. Sometime he talked about moving back there since he knows guys out in New York."

"Really what happened?"

"He was living out there for a few months before I was hatched I guess he and Mom were on the outs cause he had himself a bit of strange while he was out there. Every so often when mom was really pissed shed go off on him about going back to his ....Asian Girlfriend ...except she would use a really rude term for Asian....and girlfriend."

"Did you ever find out the truth of what happened?"

"Once some guy delivered lawyer papers to the house but dad made some phone calls and nothing ever came of it I'd of forgotten about it but that was one of those Special Harris Family Christmas moments so ..."

"Don't you love a little knock down drag out family squabble under the mistletoe?"

"My point Eda is that things can get screwed up in people's lives Sometime you have to pull together as friends cause that's all that we got. That's what we crusading do-gooders do. We look out for our friends even if they are violent sociopaths or even manipulative spies"

"Touché, ok sport you want to save Revy, or the slightly less difficult task of saving the world don't let my cynicism stop you."

"Hey look at it this way if I'm willing to go through hell itself for my friends what do you think I'm willing to do when I'm seriously involved."

"I shudder even just to think about it." Eda sighed because if Xander Harris had one annoying personality trait that Eda could have done without, it was his relentless need to protect people who didn't need or deserve protection.

Eda had access to a fair amount of information and that included information about her boyfriend.

She could have told Xander exactly who Tony' Harris's Asian Girlfriend was. She could even tell him where the woman lived in New York City. Or at least where she had been living until a number of agencies including Child Services come down on her with all kinds of heat.

The only other interesting thing about that New York address, it showed up a few more times in the NYPD's database. During Revy's earliest brushes with the law, that address had been listed as her home. At least it was before she was sucked into the snake pit that was the New York City family services system.

Taken individually it was just weird co-incidence. There were a thousand possible reasons for Revy to have been living in the same apartment that Tony Harris had been living in for part of the year prior to her birth. That was part of the reason why she had laughed at Xander's panic when she had messed with him Part of the reason but not the entire reason.

Xander Harris could not resist a damsel in distress. and while that made him a better man by far than his Father it also made him dangerous occasionally to people around him but most times just to himself.

If he knew or suspected that he might have a familial connection to Revy he would make "saving" her a priority and in Eda's experience, people like Revy couldn't be saved. They were marked and screwed by powers beyond most people's control. It would take some kind of miracle to arrest Revy's downward spiral but that was as likely as hell freezing.

For his own good, Xander was better off not knowing the truth. Some people showed love with honesty but in Eda's hands Honesty was just one more thing to be molded and shaped to suit the needs of the moment and truth, a commodity like all other information. Best managed carefully until the moment came when it would do her the most good to reveal it...and as crazy as life with Xander was, a day like that might be just around a corner.

* * *

Revy was sleeping peacefully at last Rock on the other hand was wide awake.

Rock had left her at the Yellowflag she was obviously in a binging mood and it was never a good idea to get between Revy and glass when she was in such moods.

He had found his way to the dingy place outside the hotel district. It wasn't quite a hotel as much as it was a glorified opium den. Rock discovered long ago that drugged out opium addicts made for peaceful neighbors. They didn't usually cause him problems and never bothered him once they realized he didn't have drugs and didn't want to take theirs away.

He had opened a window though to let in some fresh air. The windows were barred. A move the management had made in order to forestall a tweaking junkie jumping to the pavement. Suicides, even those of drunks or druggies might have to be explained to police the following morning. He had also locked the door so that no opium zombie wandered in by accident.

Thus he had been surprised an hour or so later when Revy had jumped on top of him. She was drunk and reeking of booze. She was murmuring about following his scent trail across the rooftops and alleyways of the city.

Rock looked again at the metal bars lying on the floor. Revy had not explained how she got past them but they had been snapped clean off the wall. While Revy was no lightweight in the strength department, where she had found the strength to do something like that, Rock would never know.

She was upset and ranting about a whispering voice. Apparently her drinking binge had done more to unsettle her than anything else. She had consumed bottle after bottle almost a dozen when Rock had stopped counting.

Then she had taken him. He and Revy had been playing around for a while now but this was something different. Revy was wild and uncontrollable He had let her do whatever she wanted and his submission had seemingly inflamed her more. Now she was quiet and Rock was aching she had actually bit him at certain points.

Revy rolled over and looked at him, "Something's happened," Revy said quietly," Something's changed."

"Look Revy it's been a weird couple of days and you almost died at the Church. When people have near death experiences its normal to have a little..."

"Fuck that," Revy cut him off, "I ain't getting religion and I ain't going to some hospital. Ya want me to end up like that fucked up leprechaun that used to hang out with Chinglish. He probably doesn't even know his own fuckin name and you can't tell me that's all because of the dope he was using. Fuck that. I came close but I beat the reaper that's all it fucking is. That's all that happened." The gun woman insisted.

"So what's the problem?" Rock sighed, once Revy's mind was made up the argument was over or things got nasty.

"I drink cause it makes me feel better I do everything I do cause it made me feel better makes me not think about the shit in my head, in my past. Tonight I couldn't make it go away. Not till I hunted.

"Hunted?"

"Wandered out in the street somehow I picked up your trail and followed it and here you are and you know what the whole time, it felt good to feel the air and smell the breeze and know everything about this place. It felt good. I know how many people are in this shit hole I can tell you which ones are going to be dead by tomorrow morning and I found you."

Rock relaxed for a few moments until he felt a crushing painful pressure. Revy had latched onto him and was holding him in a painfully tight grip.

"Don't know what's going on with me but I'll figure it out I always do. In the meantime..."

"Revy what are you doing?" he gasped quietly

"Law of the pack baby," Revy hissed in his ear. The best hunter always gets the best meat. Life should always be that simple and as fucked as everything else is THIS" here she squeezed him again, "this still feels like it should."

Revy rolled on top of him and straddled him again.

"You know why the bitches in this town keep sniffing after your white collar ass? Cause you don't smell like me. Its time I marked my territory. Make sure they know who's top dog from now on. You got a problem with that plan Rocky-boy." she was looking at him again with that feral smile of hers and Rock found himself wondering of it was some trick of the light or had Revy's normally brown eyes really turned yellow.

Then he stopped thinking about anything at all. What happened next wasn't about thought it was about basic instinct, survival and pleasure; sometimes all three at the same time.


End file.
